USA > Minnesota > Redwood County > The History of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 17
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of buttermaking in the local creamery, also taking a course in the dairy school at St. Paul. Later he operated the creamery at Wanda, when it was first built, and after four years went to Clements and operated a creamery there for a year and a half. Then he returned to Wanda and in January, 1907, became sole proprietor of a mercantile business, handling a full line of general merchandise. Mr. Kuehn is a member of the fire department and has served as mayor of the village one year. Mr. Kuehn married Minnie Altermatt, daughter of Frank Altermatt. She was born May 1, 1888, in the village of Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Kuehn have seven children born, as follows: Elmer, June 26, 1904; Herbert, May 3, 1906; John Elden, Feb. 29, 1908; Dorothy, Oct. 9, 1910; Evelyn, Aug. 17, 1912; Myrtle, Oct. 18, 1913, and Norma, June 21, 1915.
Frederick John Benz, a retired farmer of Wanda, was born in Saxony, Germany, September 26, 1845, son of John and Eliza- beth (Remely) Benz, who lived and died in Germany. His father was a weaver by trade. The children in the family were: Eliza- beth, Wilhelmina, Dorethea, Frederica, Augusta, Frederick and Henry. Frederick J. Benz acquired his education in Germany and learned the trade of a carpenter. He was a soldier from 1867 to 1869 and took part in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1, being a member of Battalion Regiment No. 4. He was the only one of his family to come to the United States, which he did in 1884 with his wife and two boys, William and Frank. He settled at Jamestown, Ill., but after a short time went to Fond du Lac, Wis., where he engaged in farming on a rented place. In 1893 he came to Minnesota and rented a farm in Westline township, Redwood county. In 1895 he bought a farm of 120 acres in section 32, Granite Rock township, which he improved and operated until 1901. He then sold out and removed to Water- bury township, where he bought a tract of 160 acres in section 4. Here he remained until 1914 in which year he sold the farm and retired from active work, taking up his residence in Wanda. While living in Westline township he served one year on the school board. Mr. Benz was married April 30, 1872, to Wilhelmina Kotzbau, who was born February 10, 1850, daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth (Schleisener) Kotzbau, natives of Germany, her father being a workman in the lumber industry. There were nine children in the Kotzbau family: Frederick, Elizabeth, Dore- thea, Wilhelmina, August, Wilhelm, Gustave, and two who died in infancy. Elizabeth and Wilhelmina were the only members of the family to come to the United States. Elizabeth came in 1868, locating in Illinois, where she was married to August Mewves, a farmer of that state.
Frank Benz, son of Frederick J. and Wilhelmina (Kotzbau) Benz, was born July 4, 1880, in Germany and grew up on his
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father's farm in Minnesota. He remained at home and took charge of the place until 1914 when he engaged in business. He is a stockholder in the creamery at Wanda. He served as justice of the peace of Waterbury for two years.
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Mathias J. Eichten, postmaster of Wanda, was born on his father's homestead in Willow Lake township, this county, Feb- ruary 13, 1879, son of Mathias and Gertrude Eichten. He grew up to manhood on his father's farm and received his education in the district school. Then he engaged in farming until twenty- one years of age when, in the fall of 1900, he entered the hardware and lumber business in partnership with his father and his uncle, Valentine P. Eichten. Their store, which was the first hardware . store in that locality, was operated under the name of Eichten Bros. Mathias later took over his father's share, sold out the lumber yard, bought the hardware stock, and in 1906 became the sole owner of the business. He carries a full line of hardware and harness. He is also a stockholder in the local creamery. In 1906 Mr. Eichten was appointed postmaster, which position he has held ever since. During the last seven years he has held the office of assessor. Mr. Eichten was united in marriage to Mag- dalene Ludwig, born at Barnesville, near Sleepy Eye, Minn., daughter of Peter Ludwig, who came from Wisconsin and located in Brown county. Six children were born to this union, Lucille, Bertrand, Loraine, Gladys, Vernon and Wendelin.
Ernest Fred Aufderheide, of Willow Lake township, was born in Prussia, Germany, September 27, 1851, son of Jacob and Sophia (Beinke) Aufderheide, farmers of Germany. Jacob Aufderheide died in his native land at the age of fifty-six and his wife was left with five children: Frederica, Berdina, Sophia, Ernest and Fred. Frederica was the first to emigrate to the United States, locating in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she married a Mr. Roseveldt and sub- sequently died. Berdina also went to Cincinnati, where she mar- ried William Wielhoff. Subsequently she moved to New Ulm, Minn., and still later to Minneapolis, where she died. Fred lo- cated in Cincinnati, whence he moved to New Ulm, where he still resides. Sophia and her mother came to New Ulm in 1882. Ernest F. Aufderheide grew to manhood in Germany and engaged in farming. After coming to the United States he located in New Ulm, where he worked with his brother in the brick yard. After being twenty years in this occupation, he decided to return to farming and, having rented a farm, engaged in his old occupation. At present he rents a farm of 320 acres and specializes in stock raising, keeping Durham cattle, Poland China hogs and Percheron horses. He also raises a considerable quantity of grain. His re- ligious affiliations are with the Lutheran church, in which he has held office. Mr. Aufderheide was married in Germany to Fred- erica Wilhelmina Hergemuller, a native of Prussia, and they be-
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came the parents of seven children: Fred, Gustav, Lena, Bertha, Albert, Henry and George. Mrs. Aufderheide died in 1897 at the age of thirty-seven years and is buried at New Ulm.
Henry G. Evans, a prominent farmer of Willow Lake town- ship, son of Henry and Anna (Ramsey) Evans, was born and grew to manhood in Minnesota, receiving a meagre education at the district log school. He secured a homestead of 80 acres in section 24, Willow Lake township, and began farming with an ox team, building a small frame house. By dint of hard work he acquired a fine home and property and has built barns, set out groves, and added 120 acres more to his land. He raises good stock. He was married to Laura Wandy of Cottage Grove, Minn., who died in 1907, leaving a family of children. Henry Evans was of the typical pioneer stock and came to New York state from England as a young man. He was married in that state to Anna Ramsey, a native of Ireland, coming as a young girl with her sis- ter to New York state. Henry Evans and wife left New York for Michigan and then went to Indiana and Illinois. In 1862 they came to Minnesota, locating ten miles southwest of New Ulm, where he bought 160 acres of wild land and built a log house, hauling the logs from the river three miles away. Into this cabin he moved with his family of seven children and lived there three or four years, when he sold out and went to Missouri. During the Indian outbreak in 1862 the family went to Hastings. In 1871 he came back to Minnesota, settling near Sleepy Eye and soon after came to Willow Lake township, Redwood county, where he secured a homestead of 160 acres of wild land in section 24. He built a home of logs, sawed on the river, and began farming with an ox team. He also set out groves and erected good build- ings. One of the organizers of Willow Lake township, he held various offices and also served on the school board. In 1900 he sold his farm in Willow Lake township and moved to Alberta, Canada, where he secured land which he improved and fenced, at the time of his death owning over a section.
Henry Berg, Sr., was born May 1, 1865, in Brown county and moved to Redwood county when twenty-two years of age, buying 160 acres of land in section 12, Willow Lake township. To this he has made additions from time to time until he now has 440 acres. Among his early improvements were a two-acre grove, a small house and a straw barn. In 1902 he built a new house and also a barn. He was one of the organizers of the township's first school and is a shareholder in the Wanda Creamery. For many years he served as road overseer. Henry Berg, Sr., was married October 25, 1887, to Mary Stelzer, born February 22, 1866, in Germany, who came to America when nineteen years old. Mr. and Mrs. Berg have had fourteen children : Henry, John, William, Theodore, Albert, Leonard, Maggie, Laura, Rosa, Helen, George
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and three deceased, Maggie, Elsie and an unnamed infant. The family faith is that of the Catholic church.
Henry Berg, a rising young farmer of Willow Lake township, Redwood county, was born in this county, September 25, 1888, son of Henry and Mary (Stelzer) Berg. He lives with his parents on the home place, where he has spent his entire life helping his father. He owns considerable stock and is a stockholder in the Wanda Creamery and also in the Farmers Elevator Company.
Peter Berg, a farmer of Willow Lake township, was born February 18, 1861, in Bond county, Illinois, son of Henry and Frances (Ohren) Berg, both natives of Germany. Henry Berg, born March 6, 1830, came to the United States when twenty-six years of age and for about ten months worked out by the day. He then rented a farm in Illinois and operated it until 1862, when he removed from that state to Minnesota, locating in Brown county. In 1864 he enlisted in the Minnesota Heavy Artillery, Company M. After the war he returned to Brown county, where he resided until his death in 1897. In 1855 he had married Frances Ohren, born in Germany, January 6, 1838, who came to the United States when twelve years of age. They had eighteen children, eight of whom are now dead, the survivors being: Henry, Bertha, Frank, John, William, Herman, Tony, Fred, Margaret and Peter. Peter Berg came to Minnesota with his parents, living at home until twenty-eight years of age. Buying 160 acres of land in section 14, Willow Lake township, this county, he, in 1886, built a house on it, 20x26 feet, which has since been improved and enlarged so that it is now a substantial and com- modious eight-room dwelling. A barn was built in 1909. Mr. Berg has been chairman of the township board for twenty-seven years and has served on the school board for eighteen years. He is a shareholder in the Wanda Creamery and also in the elevator at Rowena. Mr. Berg was married March 4, 1889, to Mary Brown, who was born in Austria, June 16, 1868. Coming to this country with her parents when an infant, she resided in Brown county until her marriage. She and her husband have been the parents of a large family, namely : Frederick, Anthel (deceased), Frank, Anthel (second), Herman (deceased), Peter, Minnie, Her- man (second), Frances, Mary, Margaret, Anne and Augusta. The members of this family belong to the Catholic church.
Leo Altermatt, now deceased, was born in Buffalo county, Wisconsin, and when a small child moved with his parents to Leavenworth township, Brown county, Minnesota, seven miles southeast of Springfield. His opportunities for attending school were limited, but he grew to manhood on his father's place, and acquired a good knowledge of farming, in which industry he engaged. In 1871 he moved to Willow Lake township, Redwood county, locating on an 80 acre homestead in section 22. Here
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he built a small shanty close to the north and south line but later moved it to its present fine location on a slight elevation. He began to break up the land with horses, and set out groves, bring- ing trees from the home in Leavenworth township. During the grasshopper plague he lost his crops. He raised Galloway cattle and was also a great sheep raiser, keeping the Shropshire and Merino breeds. Besides making considerable additions to the acreage of his farm, he bought and sold land in both Redwood county and in Dakota. A prominent man in public affairs, he served as assessor and also as county commissioner-the latter for about eight years. He was also usefully active in promoting the construction of good roads and bridges and in organizing school district No. 32, of which he became the treasurer. In 1901 he moved to Wabasso, where he was identified with the Farmers In- surance company, being also a stockholder in the telephone com- pany and in the Wabasso Farmers Elevator Company. His death took place June 30, 1914, when he was sixty-five years old. Mr. Altermatt was married in New Ulm to Anna Gorres, of which union seven children were born: Mary, Emil, Anna (now de- ceased), Clara, Dora, Gertrude and Herman. The family faith is that of the Catholic church.
Emil Altermatt was born April 24, 1875, on the old Altermatt farm, which he now owns, and grew up to manhood there. He attended the public school and also the agricultural department of the state university. Mr. Altermatt raises Galloway and Shorthorn cattle, Belgian horses and Duroc Red swine. He has served as treasurer of the school board of District 32. He was married November 24, 1903, to Katherine Weyker, who was born at St. Peter, Minn., January 23, 1880, daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Michael) Weyker. Mr. and Mrs. Altermatt have had five children: Valerious, born August 26, 1904; Sylvester, born January 19, 1906; Aloysius, born September 7, 1908; Mary, born August 9, 1911, who died the same day; Dora, born February, 1913, and Isadore, born June 16, 1915.
Andrew Andersen, a farmer of Willow Lake township, was born in Denmark, April 13, 1868, son of Andrew Nelson, a car- penter, and his wife, Marie (Larson) Nelson, who lived and died in Denmark. The father died at the age of forty-eight years and his wife, at that of seventy. In accordance with an old Scan- dinavian custom, Andrew Andersen derived his surname from his father's given name Andrew. He acquired his education in the common school of his locality and worked on the farms until he was twenty-three years of age, when he immigrated to the United States. Landing in New York from a steamer of the White Star Line, he continued his journey to Sundown township, this county, where he had friends. His first work in this new country was on the farm of William C. Meyer. After working out on farms
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for about three years, he rented one of 120 acres in section 10, Sundown township. He had saved $350, and with this sum bought a team and two cows. After a time he purchased his present place of 80 acres in section 35. There was a small building on it but no fence and no grove, and many other improvements were needed. Mr. Andersen immediately set out a grove, began fencing and erected good substantial buildings. In time he also added 40 acres more to his land. Besides carrying on general farming, he is a member of the Farmers Elevator Company at Sanborn and of the Farmers Store. In 1894 Mr. Andersen was married to Caroline Rasmussen, who was born in Denmark in 1866. The children of this union were: Mary, Agnes, Christine, Emma, Alva and James, the last mentioned being now deceased. The family faith is that of the Lutheran church.
Frank Bruckbauer, a successful farmer of Willow Lake town- ship, was born in Germany, April 10, 1867. His mother, born in Germany in 1839, came to the United States in 1888, locating in Sleepy Eye, Brown county, Minnesota where she secured work. In time she saved enough to buy a small house, which she sold after five years, buying 80 acres of land in section 11, Willow Lake township, Redwood county. From time to time improvements were made on this land, which she sold to her son Frank in 1897, afterwards making her home with her son John. Frank Bruck- bauer started farming on the land which he bought from his mother. At the time he owned two horses, a small house 14x16 and a straw barn. He has since prospered and in 1914 he built a comfortable seven-room house and also a barn 28x40 feet in dimension. He set out his own grove and orchard, besides a large number of shade trees, his orchard consisting of plum, apple and pear trees. Aside from this, he is a stockholder in the Wanda Creamery and also in the Farmers Elevator Company at Rowena. Mr. Bruckbauer was married February 19, 1897, to Mary Dussel, who was born in Germany, November 13, 1876, and who came to the United States when nineteen years of age, working her way over on the steamer. Mr. and Mrs. Bruckbauer have had the following children: Frank, Andrew, Bertha, Joseph (deceased), Rosa, Francis, Clara and Elsie. The family church is the Catholic.
Edward Dooner, a well known farmer of Willow Lake town- ship, was born in Longford county, Ireland, March 31, 1841, son of John and Catherine (Gente) Dooner. John Dooner brought his wife and his two sons, James and Edward, to Canada in 1844, and in 1872 came to the United States and settled on a homestead in Willow Lake township, this county. It was all wild land here- abouts and there were no buildings within eighteen or twenty miles. A grove was set out and other improvements soon followed. Here John Dooner lived the rest of his life. The family faith was
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that of the Roman Catholic church and in the early days mass was often held at his home. He helped to organize the first church of St. Mathias parish and also served on the township board for a number of years. In 1873 Edward Dooner came and secured his present place near Wanda. Among his first improvements was a granary, 14x16 feet, which he covered with hay. He broke ground with a four ox team for himself and his neighbors and, November 6, 1876, moved into his granary until he could build a home. During the grasshopper plague his crops were destroyed and he had to work out for a living. Mr. Dooner was married to Mary J. Bagen, who was born in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, March 14, 1852, daughter of John and Bridget (McGuire) Bagen, who were natives of Ireland. Her father, at the age of eighteen, came to the United States in a sailing vessel with his parents, Michael and Margaret (Kelly) Bagen. Landing at Hartford, Conn., they remained in Connecticut for four years, and then moved to Watertown, Wis., where they lived on a homestead. John Bagen later moved to Jefferson county, where he obtained some government land. In 1874 he came to Minnesota, locating on a homestead in Burns township, Brown county. There the rest of the family, with the exception of the mother, who died in Wisconsin, joined him, and there he spent the rest of his life. A prominent man in that section, in the early days he held township offices and served also as county commissioner. He owned part of the site of Springfield and helped to lay out the town, also do- nating ground for the Catholic church and parochial school. He died in 1903 and is buried at Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Dooner have six children : Edward, James, Charles, Margaret M., William Vincent and Robert. Religiously the family belongs to the Roman Catholic church.
Ephraim H. Evans, a prosperous farmer of Willow Lake town- ship, was born in Sigel township, Brown county, November 22, 1864. Reared on his father's farm, he acquired a practical knowl- edge of agriculture, but his educational opportunities were lim- ited. In time he started out for himself, homesteading 80 acres of wild land in section 24, where he began independent farming. He had one horse, whose first colt he traded for a wagon and the second for a cow and calf. Securing lumber at Redwood Falls, in two days he had completed a house 12x16 feet and 10 feet high. He also set out a grove, obtaining the slips from the Minnesota river land. These improvements were made in 1886. Three and a half acres, broken by his brother George the first year, had been sown into wheat, which yielded thirty-three bushels to the acre. Of this he saved some for seed, selling the rest at 80 cents a bushel. The second year he put in ten acres of wheat and eight acres of oats. During this early period he worked very hard. When harvest time came he would work in his own fields at night
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and during the day would help his neighbors for the use of their machines. One morning before seven o'clock he had dug a well for water, eight feet deep. In time he added 80 acres of railroad land to his farm and made many other additions and improve- ments to his land and buildings, enlarging and remodeling his house so that now it is one of the finest residences in the whole county. He carries on diversified farming, and is also interested in the Farmers Store of Sanborn. Mr. Evans was married July 4, 1885, to Flora Ross, who was born June 27, 1868, near Golden Gate, Minn., daughter of Walter and Sarah Ross. Her parents, who were of Welsh and English descent, had nine daughters and one son. Mr. Ross ran a ferry across the Blue Earth river and one day the only son fell into the river and was drowned. Mrs. Flora Evans died July 9, 1902, leaving the following children : Bessie, Nettie, Rose, Mamie, Flossie, Victor, Myrtie, Francis and Jennie, the last mentioned being now deceased. Mr. Evans married for his second wife Anna Smith May, who was born in Le Sueur county, Minnesota, July 28, 1864, daughter of Peter and Catherine (Molliter) Smith, both natives of Germany. Her father, when eleven years of age, came with his parents to Wisconsin. Later he moved to Le Sueur county, Minnesota, where he engaged in farming. He afterwards came to Redwood county, where he subsequently resided until his death. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Smith were : Peter, Ernest, Nicholas, Marie, Emma, Catherine and Anna. Anna Smith first married John May, a native of Michigan, and son of Conrad and Ena (Reise) May. His parents were natives of Germany who located in Michigan and then be- came pioneers of Le Sueur county, Minnesota. John May died January, 1900, leaving five children: Alice, Margaret, Conrad, George and Catherine. The children by Mr. Evans second mar- riage have been as follows: Ephraim (now deceased), George, Ernest, Clinton, Otis, Leone and Evelyn.
John Gorres, now deceased, was born August 15, 1847, in the Province of Rhine, Germany. He was the first of the family to come to the United States, locating in Roberts, Wis., where he was engaged in the dray business for about two years. There his brother, Mathias, joined him. Then coming to Minnesota, he located in Stillwater, where he resided for a short time. He then homesteaded 80 acres of wild land in section 28, Willow Lake township, Redwood county, and here began farming with an ox team. He built a frame house 14x28 feet, which is now used as an oat granary, and also built a straw shed and set out a grove. Mr. Gorres endured all the hardships of pioneer life in a wild and unsettled country, being lost in snow storms, having his crops destroyed by the grasshoppers and being affiliated with other troubles incident to those early days. Redwood Falls was the nearest milling place. He erected all the buildings on his place,
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and in 1895 built a modern house. An extensive land owner, he had 680 acres of land in one piece, besides a quarter section one mile east (in section 35), and 280 acres in Lamberton township. As a grain raiser he ranked among the leading farmers, having a yield of three or four thousand bushels a year. He also had a high reputation as a stock raiser, specializing in Shorthorn and Durham cattle, Belgian horses and Chester White swine. He was influential in having the county ditch No. 7 constructed for drain- ing the land. Mr. Gorres was married in 1875 to Frances Evans, and ten children were born to this happy union: Maggie, Emma (deceased), John (deceased), Henry, Mathias, Anna, Charles, William (deceased), Frank (deceased) and Gertrude. The family faith is that of the Catholic church. Mr. Gorres died September 6, 1913, at Wanda. His wife survived him less than two years, passing away July 2, 1915, at the age of fifty-seven.
Henry Gorres, son of John and Frances (Evans) Gorres, was born on the old homestead in Willow Lake township, Redwood county, December 31, 1880. He attended the public school and grew to manhood on the home place. Then he began farming for himself, renting land from his father. He now owns 160 acres of the old homestead and farms 160 acres of his sister's land and also 40 acres belonging to his brother, Mathias. He raises good stock, keeping the same kinds as his father did, and is a member of the local creamery. Mr. Gorres was married May 17, 1910, to Josephine Starken, who was born in Brown county, daughter of Peter and Mary Starken, natives of Germany and of Indiana, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Gorres have three children : Clarence, Milton and Agnes.
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