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 83

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 83
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 83

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. Neer was born in Springfield, Clarke county, Ohio, in 1834, and is a son of Amos and Hannah Neer, who were natives of Vir-

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ginia. The mother died when he was three years old, and a few weeks after the birth of his sister Hannah. The father married again, and died in 1846.

Joseph H. Neer spent his boyhood days and received his education in his native State, attending school until he was seven- teen years of age. He then engaged in clerking and collecting, and while still a boy settled the accounts of four different firms in Ohio. In 1855 he came to Iowa and located at Muscatine, where he engaged in the hotel business, running the Irving House for a year. At the expiration of that time he went to St. Paul, Minnesota, and after clerking in a store there for one year, he took a pre-emption in Carver county, Minne- sota. A short time later he engaged as a clerk on a steamboat and followed this for nine months, when he again returned to St. Paul and resumed clerking. He remained for some time and served two years as wood inspector. In 1863 he entered the quarter- master's department and accompanied Gen- eral Sibley's expedition across the plains, going as far as Big Bend, near the present site of Bismarck, on the Missouri river. The expedition returned to St. Paul in the fall of 1863, and our subject remained in the quar- termaster's department until the following spring, when he, in company with Zeb. Nash, went South as sutlers with the Sixth Minne- sota Infantry. The regiment went into camp at Helena, Arkansas, and Mr. Neer remained with them until fall, when his health failed and he returned to St. Paul, and late in 1864 engaged as clerk in the Merchants' Hotel. After a year's service there, his health still being poorly, his physi- cian advised him to go on a farm. He

accordingly went to Stearns county, Minne- sota and assumed charge of Major Cullom's farm. He took there 865 sheep which he cared for, and they increased in numbers so that he re-let the most of them around

Sauk Center and Holmes City. In 1868 he removed to Kandiyohi county and bought a farmı, where he engaged in farming and teaching school during the winter months. In 1870 he went to the village of New Lon- don, where he has since lived. He engaged at that time in the mercantile business in company with S. Adams. They remained in partnership about three years, when Mr. Adams sold out and Mr. Neer carried on the business alone until 1883, when he closed out the stock, and has since devoted his atten- tion to real estate matters and buying grain. He has always taken an active part in public affairs, and has been justice of the peace for the past twelve years. He is one of the most careful and capable business men in the county, and has amassed a fortune through his own foresight and business sagacity, and he stands high in the esteem of all, both as a business man and an exem- plary citizen.

Mr. Neer was married December 7, 1871 to Hannah E. Knowles, and they are the parents of two daughters, named Hattie May and Alice Lydia. Mrs. Neer was born near Oswego, New York, and is a daughter of Robert and Lydia A. Knowles.

The Neer family residence is a neat and comfortable one, being located on their farm near the depot at New London.

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JAMES ASHBURNER, one of the most prominent and influential citizens in the farming community in the Red River Valley, is a resident of section 21, Wadena township, Wadena county, Minnesota. He is a native of England, born in Penny Bridge, Furness, Lancashire, England, and is the son of Thomas and Eleanor (Lishman) Ashburner, also natives of Lancashire, England. The father was a ship carpenter by occupation, and worked in the naval yards of his native county, in Barrow. He is now a resident of

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Wadena county, Minnesota, where he is engaged in agricultural pursuits. The father and mother of our subject were the parents of the following-named children-James, Mary Agnes, Amra M. and Stephen.

Mr. Ashburner, of whom this biography treats, attended school until he was fourteen years of age, when he learned the ship car- penter's trade at Barrow, being six years an apprentice. He worked one year in the yards as a journeyman, and then took up a sea-faring life as ship carpenter on board a vessel. In 1872 he returned to his home, where he remained one year. In the fall of 1872 the Furness colony was organized in England, and held meetings at Barrow, the result being: A committee of five were appointed to emigrate to the United States and inspect the land of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company in Minnesota. In the spring of 1873 our subject, in company with the other four who completed the committee, came to the United States. They at once went to Minnesota and May 1, 1873, left Brainerd in company with the land commis- sioner and land examiner, Powers and Holmes, respectively. After carefully look- ing all the land over in the Northwestern part of the State the committee finally decided that Wadena county was the most desirable location to be found. They accord- ingly went to St. Paul, Minnesota, where the necessary papers were drawn up and the bargain closed. Owing to a failure of the railroad company the title papers have never been handed over to the colonists, and this fact has caused a great deal of dissatis_ faction and trouble to both parties. The subject of this article was one of the earliest settlers in the county. In 1873 he took a Government claim on section 28 of Wadena township. During those early days times were hard and the necessities of life could hardly be obtained nearer than Brainerd. Ile has a fine farm of 320 acres under

good cultivation and having excellent build- ing improvements upon it. He is one of the substantial farmers and is engaged in general farming and stock-raising.

Mr. Ashburner has held the offices of supervisor, town clerk, justice of the peace, treasurer of the school district, etc. He- is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having joined in his native land. He and his family belong to the Congregational church.

EORGE COOPER, wholesale and retail harness dealer of Fargo, was born in Dulwich hamlet, Camberwell parish, London, England, December 3, 1842, and is the son of James and Julia (Morish) Cooper, also natives of England. Our subject lived at home attending school until he was ten years old, when he went to county Kent and lived with his uncle, William Card, until he was sixteen, when he returned to his parents in London. There he remained until March, 1864, when he come to Ripon, Wisconsin, and enlisted in Company I, Forty-seventh Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served until September, 1865, when he was mustered out at Nashville, Tennessee, receiving an honorable discharge. Mr Cooper then returned to his uncle's at Ripon, where he was sick for some time. In the spring of 1866 he went to Markeson and learned the harness trade with William Paddock, with whom he remained until 1867, when he went to Chicago and worked at his trade as journeyman until 1871. After the great fire of that year he worked as overseer for William and Richard Duval, builders and contractors, two years, and in the summer of that year, 1873, went to Brainerd, Minnesota, remaining but a short time, when he came to Fargo and worked some six weeks for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, after which he went to

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work in a harness shop for Mr. Plummer in Fargo, and was with him during that winter.

In the spring of 1874 the quartermaster at Fort Abercombie sent for him, and he hired out to go as saddler with the Custer expedi- tion to the Black Hills, and remained with them until October, when he returned to Fargo and engaged again with Plummer until spring. He then went to Moorhead and started a harness shop for . himself, and the same summer bought the shop of Mr. Plummer at Fargo, and managed both shops for some three or four years, when he sold his shop at Moorhead, and has since that time been doing a wholesale and retail busi- ness at Fargo. Mr. Cooper was united in marriage to Miss Elvira Pinkham, December 14, 1876, a daughter of William Pinkham.

Mr. Cooper is a member of the G. A. R., John F. Reynolds Post, No. 44, Fargo, and is also a member of Moorhead Lodge, No. 26, A. F. & A. M. In. politics Mr. Cooper is a stanch republican. By his honorable busi- ness methods Mr. Cooper has built up an extensive business, and he ranks among the most solid and substantial men of the city.

ARTIN RODMAN, a prominent and influential citizen of Todd county, Minnesota, is leading a retired life in the village of Long Prairie. He is a native of the State of New York, born in Schoharie county on the 25th day of May, 1832, and is the son of Asa and Olive (Culver) Rodman, natives of Massachusetts. After their mar- riage the parents of the present subject set- tled in Schoharie county, New York, where they remained the rest of their lives, engaged in farming. The father died in 1842, and the mother in December, 1880, she being ninety years of age. The father and mother of our subject were devoted members of the Baptist church, and highly esteemed citizens

in the locality in which they lived. They were the parents of fifteen children, thirteen of whom grew up, were married and had children.

Mr. Rodman, the subject of this biograph- ical review, remained at home until he had attained the age of sixteen years. During that time he had attended the excellent com- mon schools of his native State, and at the age mentioned Martin went to the Schoharie Academy, where he entered on a course of study, remaining there eighteen months. He then removed to the city of New York, where he stayed one year and a half, engaged in ship building. At the expiration of that time he returned to his home, and the next winter taught school in Schoharie county. During the following summer he worked at the carpenter's trade, and in the fall entered the New York Conference Seminary, where he remained one year. He then came West and went to Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois, teaching school during one winter in Illinois, 1853-54. The next summer he engaged in the carpenter's trade in Lockport, Illinois, and then secured a position on the Illinois Central Railroad, and this occupa- tion placed his headquarters in Chicago. In 1854 Mr. Rodman enlisted in the United States Regular Army, and served one enlistment. After his discharge he went to Chicago, Illi- nois, where he remained one winter. In 1859 he went to Wisconsin, where he worked. at the carpenter's trade during the summers of 1859 and 1860. Mr. Rodman returned to his native State in the winter of 1860, and visited the scenes of his childhood. Upon his return to Wisconsin he enlisted in April, 1861, in the Second Wisconsin Infantry, and was honorably discharged at Philadel- phia on the 27th of June, 1863. He partici- pated in the First and Second Battles of Bull Run, and spent a week fighting along the Rappahannock. Mr. Rodman was wounded at the Second Battle of Bull Run,

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and the result of this was that he was confined in the hospital in Washington, District of Columbia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for ten months. He went to Camac's Woods Hospital, and was detailed for pro- vost duty, and received his honorable dis- charge in Philadelphia on the 27th of June, 1863. After leaving the service Mr. Rod- man engaged in the profession of school teaching during the winter of 1863-64 in the State of New York. After the expiration of that time he studied medicine during the summer of 1864 and winter and summer of 1864 and 1865, and in the fall of 1864 enlisted in the Veteran Reserve Corps, and served about fourteen months. In November, 1865, he received his discharge, and then took a trip through Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. In the spring of 1866 Mr. Rodman removed to Minnesota and settled in Goodhue county, where he engaged in farming for nine years. He then went to Red Wing, Minnesota, where he engaged in the grocery business. In 1881 he sold out and removed to Todd county, Minnesota, and on settling there he bought a home on sec- tions 5 and 8, Renolds township, where he remained for a number of years, engaged successfully in the general farming and stock- raising business. In 1885 he moved to the village of Long Prairie, Todd county, Min- nesota, where he has since remained, leading a retired life. He is one of the prominent and representative men of the village and county, and is highly esteemed by all who bear his acquaintance.

Mr. Rodman was united in marriage on the 3d day of October, 1866, to Miss Pau- line Morris, and this union has been blessed with three children, named as follows-Wil- liam, Fred and Bert. Mrs. Rodman is a native of the State of New York and is the daughter of David and Sally (Millington) Morris. Mr. Rodman and his family attend the Methodist Episcopal church. The sub-

ject of this article has held many offices in his town, including those of . assessor, chairman of the board of supervisors and justice of the peace, and is now a member of the board of health. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity of the village of Long Prairie, and also of the Grand Army of the Republic.

AUL H. ROISE. The subject of this biographical memoir is a resident of the city of Willmar, Kandiyohi county, Minne- sota, where he is engaged in a general merchandising business, in partnership with Hans J. Dale, whose biography will be found in another department of this work. Mr. Roise is a native of the kingdom of Norway, born on the 21st day of August, 1848, and is the son of Halvor and Anna M. (Jenson) Roise, also natives of Norway. The father was engaged in the farming, lumbering, and milling business, and was one of Norway's wealthy men. He retired from active life in 1872, and passed away in 1884. The mother is still living. They were the parents of the seven following-named children - David, Gunhild, now Mrs. Davidson of Swift county, Minnesota; John, Paul H., Ole, Edward and Maren E., now Mrs. Melby of Norway. All are in Norway except our subject and one sister.

Mr. Roise, of whom this article treats, remained at home, and attended the excel- lent schools of his native land until he had attained the age of seventeen years. He then emigrated to the United States, and settled in Wisconsin, where he attended the high school at Sparta for some time and then engaged a position as clerk with O. D. Ran- dall, with whom he remained eight years. At the expiration of that time, in 1874, he removed to Minnesota and located in Will- mar, Kandiyohi county, Minnesota, where he

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entered into partnership with Mr. Dale in the drug and grocery business. After con- tinuing that business for ten years they established their present general merchandise business, and have since been engaged in a large and increasing trade. In 1881 they erected their present brick building, one of the finest in the place, in which they have carried on business ever since. They have a large patronage throughout Pope, Swift, Reuville, Chippewa and Kandiyohi counties and are doing the heaviest business of any firm in the city.

Mr. Roise was united in marriage in 1873, to Miss Olena Amundson, and this union has been blessed with the following-named chil- dren - Hilder A., Petra O., Mena J. and Edward O. In political matters Mr. Roise is an adherent to the principles of the repub- lican party and is actively interested in that party's compaigns. He is a public-spirited citizen and any laudable home enterprise receives his hearty support.

ETER H. KONZEN is one of the lead- ing attorneys of the village of IIal- lock, Kittson county, Minnesota. He was born in Chickasaw county, Iowa, May 27, 1857.

Mr. Konzen's parents were Mathias and Sophia (Conrad) Konzen, both natives of Germany. The parents came to America in 1852, and settled in Chickasaw county, Iowa, where they engaged in farming. They are still living in Iowa.

The subject of our sketch lived with his parents on the farm until he was fifteen years of age, and then commenced teaching school, following that profession for four years. At nineteen he attended the State University at Iowa City, where he completed his education. Then, in the summer of 1877, he taught school, and the following winter

took a course in Bailey's Commercial College, at Keokuk, Iowa, graduating from that insti- tution in the spring of 1878. That summer he studied law in the office of H. H. Potter, an attorney of New Hampton, Iowa. In the spring of 1879 he went toWatertown, Dakota, for the purpose of taking Government land, but not being very well pleased with the coun- try, he returned east as far as the town of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, where he formed a la w partnership with L. H. Parker. Here he en- gaged in the active practice of his profession until in October of that year, when, at the ear- nest solicitation of many friends, he returned to Chickasaw county, Iowa, entering the field as a candidate for the office of county superin- tendent of schools. He made an honorable canvass, and polled a large vote, but was defeated by a small majority. There were four candidates in the field and defeat by such a small vote was almost victory. At this time he turned his attention to the newspaper business and purchased the office of the Lawler Herald, at Lawler, Iowa, a town on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. For one and a half years he con- tinued the management of this paper, and at the end of that time he concluded to sell out and return to the practice of law. His paper was soon sold and he started out to find a good location. He came to the town of Hallock, and liking the lay of the coun- try, he concluded to remain and open a law office. This was in the spring of 1881. Soon after coming to Hallock he was admitted to practice before the courts of this State, and that fall he was elected to the office of county superintendent of schools of Kitt- son county, which office he held until Jan- uary 1, 1889.

Mr. Konzen was married June 10, 1884, to Miss Sarah A. Gillie, a daughter of John and Abigail (McPherson) Gillie, natives of Nova Scotia, also the birth-place of their daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Konzen have been blessed with

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two children, their names being Sophia Theodosia and Viva Lenore.

Mr. Konzen has been very successful in business since coming to Hallock, and has rapidly accumulated a considerable amount of property. He owns the finest residence in the village, and also owns two good farms, one of 320 acres, within two miles, and the other consisting of 160 acres, within four miles of Hallock. Mr. Konzen has risen rapidly in his profession, and has become the leading lawyer in this part of Minnesota. In politics he is a stanch repub- lican, and wields a strong influence among the members of that party, by whom he has been repeatedly elected to office. He is well read and thoroughly equipped for the duties of his profession. As a writer Mr. Konzen wields a trenchant pen, and, notwithstanding his professional duties are onerous and keep him well employed, he yet finds time to manage the affairs of his farming opera- tions, while some of the ablest articles which grace the local papers are the productions of his pen. At present Mr. Konzen is also the actual, although not the ostensible, editor of the Hallock Weekly News, one of the bright- est and most wide-awake local papers in the Red River Valley.

OHN B. KELLY, a retired member of the farming community in Wadena county, Minnesota, is a resident of the village of Verndale, where he is engaged in the real estate business. He is a native of the State of Illinois, born in Joliet on the 2d day of February, 1838, and is the son of Patrick and Mary (Kelly) Kelly, natives of County Galway, Ireland. The father and mother of our subject removed to Wisconsin in 1838, where they were among the earliest settlers. They were parents of the following-named children-John B., Thomas B., Henry W., James, Anna, Marie and Delia Kelly.

Mr. Kelly, the subject of this article, re- mained in his native city until the 5th of August, 1838, when he removed with his parents to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he remained about eighteen years. During that time he attended the excellent common schools in that place and in 1856 removed with his family to Madison, Wisconsin, where he remained a few years attending school. He then commenced in life for himself, and in 1859 removed to Baraboo, Wisconsin, and after remaining there a few years, engaged in the butchering business, went to Michigan. He settled in Detroit and for fifteen months followed the butcher's trade. At the expira- tion of that time he returned to Baraboo, where he worked in the Island Woolen Mills at that place for four or five years, and in 1865 removed to Iowa. He settled in Mitchell county and there engaged a position as traveling salesman for the Paragon Woolen Mills. In 1876 he left the road and removed to Minnesota, settling in Aldrich township, Wadena county. He was among the earliest settlers in the county, and has since been closely identified with the inter- ests of this region. He took a farm two miles south of the village and engaged in general farming and stock-raising. When the town of Verndale was platted our sub- ject, in partnership with a Mr. Raymond, removed into the village and opened the first store in Verndale, continuing it for a year or two. Since that time Mr. Kelly has devoted his attention to the mercantile busi- ness and farming, and also to the real estate business, in which he is now engaged. He has extensive property interests in this vicinity, owns a farm of 320 acres in Todd county and a stock farm of 280 acres one mile east of Verndale. He is one of the most solid and substantial business men of the county.

Mr. Kelly was married in Detroit, Michi- gan, to Miss Sarah Shortt, of Ann Arbor,

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Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Kelly are the parents of one child, now Mrs. Mont Pettit. Mr. Kelly affiliates with the democratic party. Any local enterprise receives his hearty support and he bears the respect and esteem of all who know him. He has erected a number of business houses in the village and has done a great deal to promote the general welfare.

BEL H. O'DELL, who is engaged in the general merchandising business in the village of Clarissa, Todd county, Min- nesota, is one of the leading and representa- tive merchantsin the county. He is a native of Ohio, born on the 27th of November, 1834, and is the son of Jacob G. and Mar- grett O'Dell, natives of Vermont. At the time of our subject's birth his parents were mov- ing to Michigan.

Mr. O'Dell, the subject of this biographical sketch, received his education in Wisconsin. When a small boy he had removed from Michigan to Wisconsin. He spent thirty-eight years of his life in Wisconsin. Duringthat time he followed farming principally, although he was traveling salesman for the Oakfield, Wisconsin, Sash, Door and Blind Factory for eleven years. Up to the age of eighteen years he attended school, and after com- pleting his education engaged in farming. In 1877 he removed to Minnesota and settled in Dodge county, where he followed agri- cultural pursuits for two years ; at the expira- tion of that time he went to Wadena county, Minnesota, and engaged in farming for over two years. In 1881 he went to Todd county, Minnesota, and located in Clarissa, where he engaged in the general merchandising business, also handling sleighs, cutters, wagons, buggies, wood, etc. He has since followed the business, and now has one of the heaviest stocks in the village. He has a

good business, and is one of the successful merchants of the county.

Mr. O'Dell was united in marriage on the 1st of January, 1854, to Miss Malissa Chapin, who died in 1862, leaving three children, Martha being the only one now living. Mr. O'Dell was married to his second wife in July, 1863. She was Miss Mary L. Bucklin, a native of New York. This union has been blessed with two children, the first being deceased, and Herbert. Mr. O'Dell is a republican in politics. He is a representa- tive citizen and has held the office of town- ship treasurer. In addition to his store he owns several village lots and a well-cultivated farm of eighty acres on section 20, Eagle Valley township. He is a member of the Odd-Fellows fraternity, and is a citizen highly esteemed by all who know him.

LE J. BECK, a capitalist, and one who has been identified with the hotel business in Willmar, Kandiyohi county, Min- nesota, for many years, is a native of the kingdom of Norway. He was born on the 19th of June, 1838, and is the son of John and Engeborg (Engebritson) Beck, natives of Norway. They emigrated to the United States in 1868, and located in Michigan, where they remained until their death. The father died 1872 and the mother in 1888. They were the parents of eight children, six now living, named as follows-Caroline, Enge- borg. Ole J., John J., Andrew and Borne, now Mrs. Odin Anderson.

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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 83

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