The History of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 15

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1916
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 702

USA > Minnesota > Redwood County > The History of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 15

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).

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county, Minnesota; Louisa, wife of Herman Zelmer, a farmer of Home township, Brown county; Charles, a farmer of Morgan township, this county; Fred, on the home farm; Amelia, wife of Julius Anderson, a machinist at Morgan; Ida, a milliner at Chi- cago; Lydia, public librarian at Sleepy Eye, and Amanda, who died in 1908 at the age of nineteen years.

Charles G. Sasse, a prosperous agriculturalist of Morgan town- ship was born in Home township, Brown county, this state, Jan- uary 6, 1873, son of Fred and Hannah (Schleisen) Sasse. He was reared on the home farm, attended the district schools of his neighborhood and learned farming from his father. In 1891 he went to Sleepy Eye and worked for two years with William Steinke as a carpenter. Then after a year in the implement business in that village, he devoted another year to his trade. It was in 1895 that he came to Morgan and, in partnership with J. W. Hopfenspirger, under the firm name of Sasse & Hopfen- spirger, engaged in the hardware business. Two years later Mr. Hopfenspirger sold out and the firm name was changed to Sasse & Readen, later Mr. Sasse sold out to Mr. Readen and in 1899 moved onto the John Dittbenner farm of 160 acres in section 16, Morgan township, which his wife had inherited. To this, in 1905, he added 120 acres in section 9, Morgan township, a tract which he sold in 1910, when he bought another 80 in the same section. On this splendid farm of 200 acres Mr. Sasse now car- ries on general farming. His house and barns are excellent and a silo built in 1914 with a capacity of one hundred twenty-five tons adds much to the value of the place. One acre is set to fruit, three acres are in alfalfa and some eighty acres are devoted to clover, timothy and blue grass. For some time Mr. Sasse made a specialty of feeding cattle for the market and his herd of full- blooded registered Hereford cattle was widely known. In 1915, however, he changed his plan by disposing of his entire herd and purchasing the nucleus of a herd of short horn which he is now breeding for dairy purposes. He also keeps a drove of O. I. C. swine and devotes considerable attention to raising Rhode Island Red chickens. Being interested in the most modern develop- ments in his line of endeavor, he has allied himself with the Minnesota Stock Breeders' Association, the National Herford Breeders' Association and the Redwood County Agricultural Association. Aside from his farm interests, he is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company of Morgan and the Redwood County Rural Telephone Company. While living in the village of Morgan, he was a member of the village council and since living in the township he has served on the township board for six years. His fraternal affiliations are with the M. W. A. and the E. F. U. The family faith is that of the German Methodist Episcopal Church of Morgan, of which Mr. Sasse is one of the

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OLE J. OLSON

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trustees. Mr. Sasse was married May 21, 1901, to Eleanora Dittbenner, who was born December 31, 1878, daughter of John and Caroline (Simondent) Dittbenner. Mr. and Mrs. Sasse have had three children: Fernelle, who was born April 20, 1905; Floyd, born May 16, 1909, and Violet, born March 12, 1913.

John Dittbenner, a pioneer of Brown county and a veteran of the Indian campaign of 1862, was born in Germany. He came to America in 1852, and later located in Brown county, Septem- ber 15, 1862. After the Indian massacre, he enlisted in Company C, Irregular State Militia, at New Ulm and served until October 10, 1862, when he was honorably discharged. He then farmed in Brown county until 1892, when he came to Redwood county, located in Morgan township and there lived until 1896 when he died at the age of fifty-three years. His wife, Caroline (Simon- dent) Dittbenner, died the year previous at the age of forty-seven. In the Dittbenner family there were fourteen children: Alfred, who died at Springfield, Minn., in 1914, at the age of forty-six; Rosa, wife of August Rentz, a farmer at Bertha, Minn .; Eleanore, wife of Charles G. Sasse; Henry, a mail carrier at Lucan, Minn .; John, a real estate dealer at Woodward, N. D .; Cora, wife of Carl Bluhm, a merchant at Bertha, Minn .; Amanda, wife of Will Gode, a farmer at at Lamberton; Ida, wife of Will Albrecht, a farmer at Milk River, Alberta, Canada; Carolina, wife of Henry Schultz, a farmer at Milk River; George, a farmer at Wood- ward, N. D .; Ludwig, a farmer at Milk River; Arthur, proprie- tor of a restaurant at Echo, Minn., and two children who died in infancy.

Ole J. Olson, a prominent and energetic farmer of Delhi town- ship, was born on section 9, in the township where he still resides, June 20, 1877, son of John Olson and Ellen (Johnson) Wogland, the pioneers. He attended the district schools of his neighbor- hood, was reared to farm pursuits by his father, and remained at home until 1913 when he purchased from his father 160 acres in section 31, Delhi township, where he now lives. He has been successful in his operations, and carries on general farming and stock raising, raising each year about twenty-five acres of wheat, about the same amount of oats, and some sixty or more acres of corn, as well as pasturing a good herd of cattle and a profitable drove of swine. In politics, Mr. Olson is a Republican. The family faith is that of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church. Mr. Olson was married December 18, 1892, to Hannah Sundquist, born at Sacred Heart, Minn., May 21, 1874, daughter of Peter and Christiana Sundquist. This union has been blessed with two children: Edna Sylvia, born December 26, 1913, and Helen Olila, born April 4, 1915. Mrs. Olson has two brothers and two sisters: Carl Sundquist, of Webster, S. D .; Ida Sund- quist, who lives with her parents in Sacred Heart; Emma, now

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Mrs. Ole Edlund of Sacred Heart, Renville county, and Herman Sundquist, of Sacred Heart, Renville county.

John Olson Woglund, a pioneer, has lived in this county for over forty years, and no one who has not passed through the experiences that he has can realize the changes that have taken place since he first arrived here. It was then a region of wild prairie, with only a scattered house here and there, the only timber to be seen being in the bottoms and along the waterways. Farming was done in altogether a different way from what it is now, comforts and conveniences were few and hardships and privations were many. But in spite of discouragements he and his good wife kept faithfully at work until they were numbered among the most prosperous citizens of a well-settled and thriving community. John Olson Woglund was born in Trondhjem, Nor- way, May 11, 1847, son of Ole and Annie Woglund, who spent the span of their years in the old country. He was reared in his native parish, and was there educated and grew to manhood. It was in 1870 that he came to America and took up his residence near Austin, in this state. In 1874 he came to Redwood county and purchased 120 acres of land in section 9, Delhi township, where he has since continued to live. The land was absolutely wild and unbroken. Mr. Wogland erected a small log cabin and a straw shack, and with his oxen started to break the land and develop the farm. One of his first duties was to set out a grove of small trees. This grove he has seen develop into a small forest. His farm has developed into one of the best in the community. From time to time he added to his possessions until he owned 1,000 acres of well-improved land. As necessity required, he erected necessary buildings, until he now has a modern ten-room home, with commodious barns and a splendid set of other farm structures. Three times Mr. Woglund has journeyed back to Norway to the land of his birth and visited his old friends there. A thorough believer in education, he has done good service on the school board. His business holdings include stock in the Farmers Elevator at Delhi. His church affiliation is with the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Delhi, of which he' has served as trustee for some years. All in all, he is a useful citizen and is highly respected throughout the community in which he lives. Mr. Wogland was married July 4, 1875, to Ellen Johnson, daughter of John and Gertrude (Larson) Johnson, the former of whom died in Norway and the latter of whom came to this country and died in Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Wogland have been blessed with seven children : Anna, born November 12, 1875, now Mrs. Albert Peterson, of Delhi township; Ole, born January 20, 1877; Gertrude, born October 4, 1880; Nettie, born December 13, 1882, now Mrs. Ole Wogland, of Delhi township; John (deceased), born July 7, 1885; Cora, born February 17,

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MR. AND MRS. JOHN OLSON WOGLAND

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CHARLES DIETZ AND FAMILY

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1888, now Mrs. Herman Sundquist, of Sacred Heart, Renville county, this state, and Josephine, born June 22, 1892, now Mrs. Martinus Matison, of Delhi township.

James Arnold, for many years a potent factor in the life of Redwood county, was born in Kent, England, in 1837, and was there reared and educated. In 1866 he came to America and located in Ford county, Illinois. It was in 1887 that he came to Redwood county, and purchased 160 acres in section 22, Vesta township. A well educated gentleman, he took a vital interest in public affairs, and served in many public offices. For eight years he was county commissioner, during which time he earnestly advocated the cause of good roads, both at the meetings of the board, and by communications in the county newspapers. One of his official acts was the securing of the appropriation for the bridge across the Redwood at Vesta. At his home, he kept the Vesta postoffice, and he greatly assisted the establishment of the . new village of Vesta by moving the postoffice to the village and appointing F. H. Bendix as his deputy to take charge of the mail. He also assisted the new village by establishing its first news- paper, "The Vesta Bright Eyes," in 1899. He died on his farm, January 19, 1912, at the age of seventy-six years. Mr. Arnold was married November 22, 1864, to Maria Riddel, who was born in Kent, England, April 11, 1838. Of the eight children in the family, there are now living four: Herbert, manager of an elevator at Burwick, N. D .; Henry, manager of an elevator at Stanley, N. D .; James, a farmer of Vesta township, and Alex- ander F., who conducts the old homestead.

Alexander E. Arnold, an industrious young farmer of Vesta township, was born in Ford county, Illinois, March 3, 1879, son of James and Maria (Riddel) Arnold. He was reared to farm pur- suits and was educated in the schools of his neighborhood. Since 1900 he has been in charge of the home place. On this place he carries on general farming and makes a specialty of Holstein cattle and Plymouth Rock chickens. Mr. Arnold was married January 5, 1903, to Margaret Goblisch, born November 1, 1881, daughter of Michael, a farmer of Henryville township, Renville county, and his wife, Katherine (Weis) Goblisch, who died in 1908 at the age of fifty-nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold have two children : Esther, born August 10, 1904, and Barbara, born June 28, 1906.

Charles Dietz, a prosperous farmer of Vesta township, was born in Germany, January 6, 1863, son of Frederick and Frie- dericka (Zinder) Dietz. The father was a German cabinet maker who came to America in 1873, and bought a farm in Sibley town- ship, Sibley county. In 1888 he came to Redwood county, buy- ing 240 acres in section 7, Vesta township, where he subsequently resided until his death, May 4, 1914, at the age of eighty-nine

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years. His wife died May 21, 1891. Charles Dietz remained at home and took charge of his father's farm until 1888. He then bought 160 acres in section 7, Vesta township, which he operates in addition to his father's land, owning altogether 466 acres and carrying on diversified farming. He has been treasurer of school district No. 3 since 1913. Mr. Dietz was married February 21, 1893, to Ottilia Rucks, who was born December 24, 1873, daughter of August and Ernstina (Blemke) Rucks. August Rucks, who was born in Germany, and who came to America in 1855, served two and one-half years in the Civil war. He settled in Sibley county, Minnesota, where he engaged in farming. Mrs. Rucks' mother is Wilhelmina Winter, who is still living in Sibley county, where she is enjoying life at an advanced age. Mr. and Mrs. Dietz have six children: Herman, a farmer of Underwood town- ship, born December 1, 1893, who married Lillie Kolander Septem- ber 23, 1914; Hilda, born September 29, 1895; Fred, born June 29, 1897; Henry, born April 26, 1899; Clara, born September 12, 1901, and Selma, born March 24, 1903. The family are members of the German Lutheran church.

John W. Depue, of Vesta township, was born in Albany, New York, October 5, 1854, eldest son of John and Mary (Glover) Depue. The father, born in Albany, was married in 1852 to Mary Glover, who came from England to America in 1841, locating at Albany. She died in 1907 at the age of eighty-two years. Mr. Depue removed to Kalamazoo, Mich., in 1864, and in 1878 to Yellow Medicine county, Minnesota, where he homesteaded land in Echo township and was engaged in farming until 1892. He then removed to Echo, where he died in 1903. There were seven children in the family: John W., whose name appears at the head of this sketch; Smith, now living at Sioux Falls; Edward, a carpenter of Echo, Minn .; Charles O., a carpenter of Fergus Falls, Minn .; William R., a farmer of Alberta, Canada; Ella, wife of Thomas O'Connor, a retired farmer of Watertown, S. D., and Rose, who was a school teacher and met her death in a runaway accident in 1895 when she was twenty-two years of age. In 1878 John W. Depue homesteaded 160 acres in section 4, Vesta town- ship, where he now lives. He hauled lumber from Marshall by ox team to build a house, which, when completed, was a one-story building, 14x16 feet. His property is now well improved and he carries on general farming successfully. He was school director when the first school was established, and has served as justice of peace and also as road overseer several times. Mr. Depue was married December 23, 1875, to Ruth Mather, who was born October 23, 1854, and died February 17, 1915. She was the daughter of Samuel and Catherine (Depue) Mather. The father, Samuel Mather, was a pioneer farmer of Yellow Medicine county, where he homesteaded land in 1871. He later moved to Echo,

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MC PHAN CABIN. THE FIRST HOUSE BUILT IN REDWOOD FALLS IN VARM RAMSEY STATE PARK VEDWOOD FAL

M'PHAIL LOG CABIN

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where he became the owner of the townsite and opened the first general store, residing there until his death in 1900, at the age of 70 years. His wife, who was born in England, and was one of the pioneers of Hastings, Minn., died in 1902, also at the age of seventy. There were three children in the family: Ruth, Henry, a farmer of Great Falls, Mont .; and Emma, Mrs. Albert Simmons. Mr. and Mrs. Depue have had the following children : Lillian, wife of John Calavan, a farmer of Washington and the mother of one child, Clifford; Florence, wife of George Fair- weather, proprietor of a livery in Souris, North Dakota, who had four children, Douglas, Everett, Milton and Ruth; Roy, re- siding at Lene; Maurice, who conducts the home farm; Stella and Lorna, both of whom are stenographers at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Winston, living with his sister in Washington.

Donald Mckenzie, an industrious farmer of Vesta township, was born in Ardelf, Rosshire, Scotland, September 15, 1848, son of Kenneth and Jennet (McRae) Mckenzie. In 1849 Kenneth Mckenzie emigrated to Glengarry, Ontario, Canada, where he farmed until 1868. Then coming to Minnesota he settled at Sleepy Eye, where he died in 1894 at the age of 98 years. His wife died in 1892 at the age of 73. There were seven children in the family: Jennet, who was the wife of Finley McDermot of Glengarry, and died in 1905, at the age of sixty-eight; Donald, a farmer of Brown county, who died in Redwood Falls, in June, 1914; Colin, a retired farmer of Sleepy Eye; Margaret (Mrs. Donald McDermot of Glengarry) ; Donald; Martha, wife of Hans Roy, a retired farmer of Redwood Falls; and Isabelle, wife of Charles Jorgensen, a farmer of Alberta, Canada. Donald Mc- Kenzie remained at home until he was 34 years of age. For six years he was in the fuel business in Redwood Falls. Then he bought 160 acres in section 30, Vesta township, where he lived until 1905, at which time he bought and removed to a 200-acre farm in section 33. He now owns 600 acres. In 1915 he built a barn, 34 by 54, with basement, on his farm in section 30; and in 1910 an eight-room house, equipped with hot water heat, on his farm in section 33. He has made other valuable improvements and has brought his farms to a high state of cultivation. Mr. Mckenzie raises shorthorn cattle and Duroc Jersey swine, and makes a specialty of Plymouth Rock chickens and Bronze tur- keys. He has held township office, having served as supervisor for eight years, and director of the school board for three years. For six years he has been treasurer of the Farmers' Elevator of Vesta. Mr. Mckenzie was married August 12, 1881, to Emma Hyslop, who was born September 20, 1856, in Nova Scotia, daugh- ter of Edward Hyslop, a farmer of Nova Scotia, who died there in 1908, at the age of 84 years, and his wife, Jane (Shearer) Hyslop, who died in 1908, at the age of eighty-five. Mr. and

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Mrs. Mckenzie have four children: Stanley, born May 11, 1882, who died July 9, 1892; John A., born December 22, 1883, now of Hayden, Ariz .; Jeannette, born July 19, 1886, who is a student from the Mankato Normal school, and now a teacher in Redwood county; and Chloris C., born February 20, 1890, who graduated from the Mankato high school in 1909, taught in the Vesta schools for two years and was then principal for two years. The family are members of the Presbyterian church at Vesta.

John F. Rohlik, an up-to-date farmer of Vesta township, was born in Bohemia, September 17, 1862, son of John W. and Mary (Harvet) Rohlik, who were married in Bohemia, November 22, 1858. John W. Rohlik came to America in 1867, locating in Chi- cago and later removing to Crawford county, Wis., where he farmed until 1894. Since then he has lived with his children of whom he and his wife had seven, namely : William M., a farmer, of Vesta township; John F., subject of this sketch; Mary, wife of Paul Borte, a merchant of Wanda; Anthony M., a farmer of Vesta township; Clara, now sister Ida of St. Rose Convent at La Crosse; Thomas L., a farmer of Vesta township, and Matilda, married to Hans Lienaw, a hardware dealer of Seattle, Wash. John F. Rohlik remained at home, until he was 18 years of age, when he began working out and so continued for about seven years. In 1887, in partnership with his brother William, he bought 160 acres of land in Granite Rock township, where he and his brother lived for five years. In 1892 he bought 120 acres in sections 25 and 35, Vesta township, and began working upon his new farm with characteristic energy, and in time made many improvements. To begin with he had four horses and six cows but no tools. His first house was a two-room frame building, 16 by 26 feet. Mr. Rohlik now owns 600 acres of land, raises Duroc Jersey swine, of which he ships one carload every year, and also Shorthorn cattle, some of which are registered. He has consid- erable land set out in clover and timothy. In 1914 he built a two- story house, 30 by 32, of eight rooms with full basement and thor- oughly modern. He has electric lights in all buildings, dynamo and storage battery in the basement, and the washer, pump and cream separator are all run by electricity. In 1911 he built a barn 40 by 62, which will accommodate 20 horses and 30 cattle. The farm is all enclosed by woven wire fencing. Mr. Rohlik has served as chairman of the township board for 12 years and has been school director of district No. 54 20 years. He is president of the Farmers' Elevator at Seaforth. Mr. Rohlik was married February 24, 1892, to Agnes Borte, who was born in Germany January 18, 1872, daughter of Carl and Theresa (Barsch) Borte. Carl Borte came to America in 1875 and located in Rice county, Minn., where he farmed until 1886. He then moved to Vesta township, where he resided until his death in February, 1904, at

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FERDINAND WERNER AND FAMILY

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the age of 70 years. His wife died January, 1911, at the age of 67 years. There were six children in the family: Mary, married to Fred Hottinger, a farmer of Washington; Paul, a merchant of Wanda, Minn .; twins, who died in infancy; Agnes, and Joseph, a farmer in Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Rohlik have nine chil- dren: Agnes, born December 21, 1892; sister Corona at St. Rose Convent, at La Crosse; Anthony, born May 29, 1894; Charles, November 8, 1895; Mary, January 22, 1897; Frank October 1, 1899; Helen, December 31, 1901; Matilda, February 13, 1906; Josephine, August 6, 1910; and Francis, July 20, 1912. The fam- ily belongs to St. Mary's Catholic church at Seaforth.

William A. Sickman, a rising young farmer of Vesta township, was born in Arlington, Minn., March 3, 1890, son of Gustav and Emily (Taubert) Sickman. The father was born in Sibley county and came to Redwood county in 1892, buying 240 acres of land in section 11, Vesta township. He has since increased his hold- ings to 480 acres and has a well improved farm. In December, 1913, he decided to retire from active work and moved to Echo, Minn., where he and his wife expect to spend their remaining years. Mrs. Sickman is a native of Germany, and came to Amer- ica in 1882, being married in 1887. There were four children in the family: Anna, now Mrs. Jacob Geib, whose husband has charge of the elevator at Gaylord; William A .; Henry, a farmer on the home place; and Freida, wife of Arthur Radtke, agent of the elevator at Wood Lake, Minn. William A. Sickman remained at home working on the farm for his father until December 1, 1913, the father being an invalid. He then rented the home farm and has made many improvements on it. He specializes in feed- ing cattle for the market, shipping one carload every year. Mr. Sickman was married December 29, 1913, to Grace Alexander, who was born February 8, 1891, daughter of David Alexander .. Mr. and Mrs. Sickman are members of the Presbyterian church.

Ferdinand J. Werner, a thrifty farmer of Vesta township, was born in Germany, July 29, 1862, son of Daniel and Caroline (Zirkie) Werner. Daniel Werner was a blacksmith in Germany and died in 1870. There were twelve children in the family, four of whom are living: August, a farmer of Underwood township; Bertha, now Mrs. Fred Gums of Henderson; Ferdinand J., and Charlotte, now wife of Henry Thoele of Sibley county, Minn. Ferdinand J. Werner came to America in 1877 with his mother, and located in Sibley county, Minn., where he farmed until 1892. He then bought 160 acres of land in section 17, Vesta township, and built a one-story frame house, 16 by 20 feet, which in 1903 was remodeled into a comfortable six-room house. In 1911 he built a barn, 32 by 56, accommodating 40 cattle and eight horses. He raises shorthorn cattle, Duroc Jersey swine and Belgian horses and specializes in Rhode Island Red chickens. Mr. Werner has

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held office on the township board of Vesta for two years, has been constable for two years, and has also served as road over- seer. He is a director in the Farmers' Elevator Company at Vesta. Fraternally he is associated with the A. O. U. W., of which he is master workman, and with the M. W. A. of which he is watchman. Mr. Werner was united in marriage March 21, 1892, to Bertha Gutknecht, who was born in Germany, January 17, 1877, daughter of August and Anna (Straw) Gutknecht. The father was a native of Germany, who came to America in 1884, locating in Sibley county, where he died in 1888, aged 49 years. There were seven children in the Gutknecht family: Amelia, widow of Fred Summick, a farmer of Sibley county, who died in 1912; Ottilia, wife of Gust Kelm, a farmer of McLeod county; Annie, now Mrs. Carl Wudelman, of Sibley county; Carl, a farmer of Stearns county; August and Albert who are farming in Sibley county, and Bertha. Mr. and Mrs. Werner have ten children : Minnie, born Feb. 19, 1894, who was married July 2, 1913, to Otto Meier, a farmer of Vesta township; and has one child, Marvin, born April 18, 1916; Otto, born Jan. 3, 1896; John, December 5, 1897; Harry, December 21, 1899; Sophia, February 13, 1902; Esther, January 15, 1904; Ida, May 9, 1905; Sadie, September 25, 1906; Fredwin, October 22, 1907, and Martha, April 14, 1910. The family faith is that of the German Lutheran church.

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The History of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 15

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Number of Pages: 702

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1916
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 702