The History of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 19

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 19

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George Fleishman was born June 24, 1823, in Germany, son of Michael and Catherine (Werner) Fleishman, who lived and died in Germany as farmers. They had two boys, George and John, (born December 16, 1818), who both came to Minnesota. George engaged in farming and in 1866 came to the United States by steamer with his family, the voyage taking 16 days. He located in Illinois, where he worked on the farms for a time. Then he left for Minnesota to get a homestead, leaving his wife and chil- dren in Illinois. He secured a homestead of 80 acres in Burns- town township, Brown county, five miles east of Springfield, and after two years sent for his family. He had built a log house and sod barn with a hay roof. Here they endured all the hardships and' inconveniences of the pioneers. Wheat was often ground into flour in the coffee mill, as the nearest mill was at New Ulm, many miles away-a long journey by ox team. The wife spun the yarn and made caps and mittens for her husband and children. During the grasshopper plague they lost all of their crops. The blizzards were very terrible. Mr. Fleishman's brother, John, had a homestead nearby and during one of these blizzards froze both hands and lost all his fingers. Mr. Fleishman was married Sep- tember 15, 1854, to Anna Arp, born April 26, 1832, in Germany, daughter of Valentine and Catherine (Wenner) Arp, who lived and died in Germany. They had three children, Anna, Barbara (deceased), and John, who came to the United States at the age of 18, first located in Illinois and later Missouri, where he is en- gaged in the drug business. Mr. and Mrs. Fleishman had five

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C. W. WHELAN

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children, all born in Germany : Theodore, Emma, William, Teresa and Julia. Mr. Fleishman died at the age of 61 years. The family are all members of the Lutheran church.

Christopher W. Whelan, a successful farmer of Willow Lake township, was born in Ontario, Canada, November 21, 1860, son of Christopher and Jane (Roach) Whelan. Christopher W. Whel- an attended school in Canada, in Hennepin county, at Delano, Wright county, and in Redwood county, Minn. He grew to man- hood in Redwood county. In 1884 he secured a homestead of 160 acres of wild prairie land in Willow Lake township, which had been filed on by his brother William, who died in 1879. Chris- topher took it up as a tree claim but changed it to a homestead. His brother William had already built a small shack upon it, 14 by 20. Christopher broke land by horse team, added 80 acres more to his farm and set out two fine groves. He carries on diver- sified farming, raising a considerable amount of grain and also keeps Duroc Jersey hogs and a good grade of sheep and horses. He is a stockholder in the Wanda Creamery, the State Bank of Wanda, the Farmers' Elevator Company of Sanborn and also of the Sanborn Improvement Company.

Mr. Whelan was married June 1, 1886, to Isabella McGowen, a widow of Peter B. Raverty. She was born December 8, 1861, in Sibley county, daughter of Pat McGowen, a native of Canada, who later located in Sibley county and afterward in Brown county. She died in 1894, leaving five children: Mary, now Mrs. Joseph Korherr of Gibbon, Minn., a child of the first mar- riage; Louis, now of Montana; Blanche, now Mrs. Nels Dyste of · Minneapolis; Lloyd; and Claude, who was drowned at Gillette, Wyo., August 8, 1914, at the age of 21 years.

Rudolph C. Wessel, for many years interested in the lumber business in Redwood county, was born in Germany June 5, 1865, son of Karl and Mary (Arndt) Wessel. The father was a mason who came to America from Germany in 1873 and settled at Sleepy Eye, where he died in 1877 at the age of 35 years. The mother is now living in Springfield, Minn. Rudolph C. Wessel grew to manhood in Sleepy Eye and in 1889 became the foreman of the packing department at Sleepy Eye roller mills, where he remained seven years. He then became grain buyer and bought wheat for R. H. Bingham at Sleepy Eye. During the next three years he had charge of the elevator. Then he helped organize the P. Christenson & Company lumber company at Echo, Minn., and became the general manager. After seven years he sold the busi- ness and was manager of affairs for his successors for three years. After that he became manager at Morgan for the Lampert Lum- ber Company and remained with them for three years. January 1, 1906, he bought an interest in the Steinke, Seidl Lumber Com- pany of Sleepy Eye and became manager of the Morgan branch.

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Mr. Wessel was married May 9, 1889, to Minnie Henning, who was born May 23, 1868, daughter of Frederick Henning, a native of Germany and a farmer of Sherman township, Redwood county. The father died at Morgan, April 3, 1915, at the age of 73 years, and his wife, Johanna (Koenig) Henning, July 21, 1915, at the age of 69 years. Mr. and Mrs. Wessel have three children, Viola, born in 1891; Mabel, born in 1893; and Esther, born in 1897.

Frank H. Schieffert, a progressive young man, and proprietor of the confectionery and restaurant at Morgan, was born in Brown county, Minnesota, November 10, 1877, son of Michael Schieffert, a farmer of Germany, who came to America and died March 3, 1880, and his wife, Mary (Eckstein) Schieffert, who died February 29, 1880. Frank H. Schieffert was raised by his ma- ternal uncle, Anton Sperl, a farmer near New Ulm. When ten years of age he began working during the summer (attending school during the winter) with his brother-in-law, Joseph Wilt- scheck. After five years he began working out among the farmers in the neighborhood and was thus engaged until May, 1898, when he enlisted at St. Paul in Company A, Twelfth Minnesota In- fantry, and after six months at Chattanooga, was discharged at New Ulm, November, 1898. Then he worked for B. C. Schneller at Morgan for two years, and at the end of that time bought the business and conducted it until the spring of 1915. May 1, 1915, he opened a confectionery and restaurant at Morgan and has since made many friends and gained a large patronage. Since 1909 he has been chief of the village fire department. In spring of 1916 he was elected a member of the village council of Mor- gan. He is a member of the Catholic church and of the St. Joseph's society. Mr. Schieffert was married July 25, 1900, to Frances Kretch, who was born March 5, 1881, daughter of John and Barbara Kretsch. Mr. and Mrs. Schieffert have three chil- dren, Eleanore, Alice and Clarence.

C. B. Root, president of the Farmers' and Merchants' State Bank of Morgan, was born in Sherman township, December 30, 1868, son of William and Mary E. (Cooley) Root. The father was born in New York state and came to Renville county, Minne- sota, in 1863, taking up a homestead in Cairo township, where he remained for two years. Then he pre-empted 150 acres in section 22, Sherman township, Redwood county, and lived there until 1905. Then buying land in section 35, he resided there for three years, after which time he retired from active work and moved to the village of Morton, where he died in 1910 at the age of 69 years. He served on the school board for 25 years. His wife is still living in Morgan. There were four children in the family : Carrie, a resident of Morgan, widow of Thomas Butcher, a farmer of Redwood county who died in 1911; C. B., the subject of this sketch; Fred, who died in 1899 at the age of 25 years; and Wil-

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JOHN WETLER AND FAMILY

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liam, dealer in farm implements and owner of a garage at Morgan.

C. B. Root received his early educational training in the schools of his neighborhood and grew to manhood on the home farm. In 1898 he bought 240 acres in section 2, Morgan township, and con- ducted this farm until 1904, when he moved to the village of Mor- gan and was manager of the Farmers' Elevator Company for three years. Then he engaged in the meat business for three years. Mr. Root is now engaged in buying and selling of stock, and is also in the real estate business. He was one of the organ- izers and has been a director of the Farmers' and Merchants' State Bank of Morgan ever since it was organized, serving as vice- president from 1911 to 1914, and becoming president January 1, 1914. He was also one of the organizers and was a director of the Wherland Electric Company until it was sold to Alfred Green and F. W. Philbrick .. He is a stockholder in and business manager of the Farmers' Elevator of Morgan. Since March, 1915, he has been president of the village council and since July, that year, of the board of education. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the M. W. A .; also of the Presbyterian church, of which he is a direc- tor and elder.

Mr. Root was married June 24, 1898, to Edith Butterfield, who was born April 8, 1875, daughter of Marshall Butterfield, a pioneer farmer of Redwood Falls, who died in 1883, and his wife, Lucy (Griffith) Butterfield, who died at the age of 70 years in 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Root have the following children: Pearl, born August 13, 1900; Mabel, October 12, 1902; Lindel, April 11, 1905, and Doris, November 12, 1906.

John Welter, a prosperous farmer of Morgan township, was born in Lake county, Illinois, November 14, 1864, son of Michael and Susanna (Deville) Welter. His parents were natives of Lux- emberg, Europe, where they were married in 1850. They came to America in 1855, first living in Chicago, Ill., for two years and then removing to Buffalo Grove, Lake county, Ill., where they lived until their death. The father died in 1898 at the age of 77 years, and the mother in 1907 at the age of 80 years. The chil- dren in the family were: Elizabeth, of Chicago, widow of Nicholas Britz, who farmed near that city; Peter, a retired farmer of New Ulm; Mary, who died on the ocean at the age of two years; Nicholas, a furniture dealer of Morgan, who died in 1906 at the age of 46; Mary, wife of J. F. Smith, a retired farmer of New Ulm; Michael, who operated a hotel at St. Louis, Mo .; John, the subject of this sketch ; Katherine, wife of Nicholas Blocks, a farm- er of Lake county, Illinois; and Lena, wife of Anton Brown, a farmer of Camp township, Renville county.

John Welter grew to manhood on the home farm and re- ceived his early education in the schools of his locality. At the

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age of 24 he took charge of the home farm and managed it for four years. In 1892 he bought 145 acres in section 30, Morgan township, where he now resides. He is successful in his farming, has erected modern buildings and made many improvements, and now owns 184 acres, of which four acres are set out in fruit. In 1902 he re-built and remodeled his house into a seven-room com- fortable dwelling and in 1909 built a barn, 36 by 64 by 18 feet. He keeps graded Holstein cattle and makes a specialty of buying and feeding cattle for the market, feeding about one carload of cattle and one carload of swine every year, and also keeps Percheron horses. Mr. Welter has been an important factor in public affairs; he served as chairman of the township board for two years, and has been clerk of school district No. 90 for six years. He was secretary and manager of the Morgan Co-operative Creamery Association for 18 years, and is secretary of the Mor- gan Farmers' Elevator Company, secretary of the Clements Percheron Company, secretary of the Morgan Live Stock Ship. ping Association and stockholder in the Morgan State Bank Building Company. He is a member of the C. O. F. of Sleepy Eye.

John Welter was united in marriage October 7, 1890, to Mary Pierre, who was born June 4, 1867, daughter of John and Mary A. (Putz) Pierre. Her father was born in Luxemberg, Europe, and came to America in 1847, locating at Holy Cross, Wis., where he engaged in farming and died in 1901 at the age of 80 years. His wife now resides in Saukville, Wis. They were married in 1856 in Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, and had the following chil- dren: Anton, a farmer of Hawarden, Iowa; John, deceased; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Ben Hofner of Kenosha, Wis., who died in 1880; Margaret, wife of August Schiller, a farmer of Saukville, Wis .; John, a farmer of New Hampton, Iowa; Henry, a farmer of New Hampton, Iowa; Mary, wife of John Welter; Katherine, sister in a convent in Racine, Wis .; Barbara, deceased; Matt., a farmer in Wisconsin; and Annie, a Sister in the convent at Racine, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Welter have had the following children : Annie, May 29, 1893; Susan, October 3, 1896; Amelia, January 13, 1898 (died February 3, 1898) ; Frank J., April 17, 1899; Rosa M., December 18, 1901; George W., February 22, 1903; Olivia, March 8, 1906; and Aloysius F., December 11, 1908. The family are all members of the Catholic church at Morgan.

John Kleinschmidt, a very successful farmer of Morgan town- ship, was born in Germany July 22, 1864, son of John Klein- schmidt, who died at the age of 34 years in 1868, and his wife, Amaregetta (Rosenau) Kleinschmidt. John Kleinschmidt re- ceived his early training in Germany and emigrated to America in 1882, coming to Eden township, Brown county, Minnesota, where he worked out until 1889. Then, in 1889, he bought 80 acres in section 14, Morgan township, Redwood county, where he

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has lived ever since. He cultivated his farm with great care and made additions from time to time so that now he owns 240 acres. In 1901 he rebuilt and remodeled his house into a comfortable four-room residence, and in 1906 built a barn 28 by 48 by 16 feet. He has a fine eight-acre grove and an orchard. His stock is of good breed, including Shorthorn cattle and Chester White swine. Mr. Kleinschmidt is a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator at Morgan. He was road overseer for twelve years. The family are members of the German Methodist Episcopal church.

Mr. Kleinschmidt was married January 16, 1890, to Emma Zeigenhagen, born June 22, 1872, daughter of William Zeigen- hagen, a pioneer farmer of Eden township, Brown county, and his wife Fredericka (Stabanow) Zeigenhagen. Mr. and Mrs. Kleinschmidt have six children, all of whom reside at home, namely : William, born January 14, 1891; John, October 19, 1897; Edward, April 8, 1901; Albert, December 12, 1903; Arthur, June 2, 1906; and Louis, June 12, 1908.

William F. Stoltz, manager of the Co-operative Creamery at Morgan, was born in Steele county, Minnesota, October 7, 1868, son of Frederick W. and Caroline (Rosenau) Stoltz. The father was a native of Germany, who came to America in 1861 and in 1864 located in Steele county, where he resided until his death in 1865 at the age of 34 years. His wife Caroline, died February 15, 1915, at the age of 77 years. In the fall of 1866 she married her second husband, Herman Schandel, a retired farmer of Meriden, Minn. William F. Stoltz began working out at the age of 18 and after five years took up the creamery trade, learning it in the creamery at Meriden, where he remained for three years. After two more years in this kind of work he became manager of the creamery at Pratt, Minn., where he remained for eight years. While there he erected two buildings, each costing about $3,600. Next he spent two years at Echo, Minn., and in November, 1911, became manager of the Morgan Co-operative Creamery, where he is now. He is a member of the M. W. A. and the family faith is that of the Presbyterian church.

Mr. Stoltz was married August 24, 1900, to Jennie M. Martin- son, who was born February 17, 1879, daughter of Ole Martinson, a retired farmer of Waseca, Minn., who died November 18, 1908, and his wife, Elaine (Johnson) Martinson, now living at Waseca, Minn. Mr. and Mrs. Stoltz have had three children: Clare, who died at the age of three; Hubert, who died at the age of six; and Ivis, born January 17. 1906.

William Hillger, who is engaged in farming and dairying in Morgan township, was born in Germany August 31, 1866, son of John and Wilhelmina (Kuthlo) Hillger. The father, who was a farmer in Germany, died in 1908 at the age of 70 years, the mother died in 1873 at the age of 35 years.

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William Hillger came to America in 1883, locating in New Ulm, Minn., where he worked on a farm for two years and afterwards in carpenter work for one year. He next went to Eden township, Brown county, where he lived until 1892 when he moved to Mor- gan township, Redwood county, and bought 160 acres of land in the northeast quarter of section 33. He has lived there since and has made many improvements on his farm. He has one and a half acres of orchard and a fine grove covering six acres. He also has 75 acres set out in timothy. In 1900 he remodeled his residence and now has a comfortable eight-room house, 28 by 32, with a full basement and equipped with furnace heat. In 1901 he built a barn, 32 by 60 feet, and a granary, 24 by 24 feet. He raises graded Shorthorn cattle and carries on dairying, having a herd of 35 cows, 20 of which are milch cows. He has 35 Shropshire sheep and raises Plymouth Rock chickens. Mr. Hillger is also interested in bee culture and does a profitable business with his six colonies of bees. He served as supervisor of the township for seven years and is a stockholder in the Redwod County Rural Telephone Company and is also a stockholder in and treasurer of the Farmers' Elevator Company at Morgan.

Mr. Hillger was married September 14, 1894, to Emma Ditt- benner, who was born in Eden township, Brown county, August 26, 1874, daughter of August and Katherine (Fixsen) Dittbenner, the parents being natives of Germany. The father came to America in 1854 with his parents, locating at New Ulm and was one of the defenders of New Ulm during the Sioux uprising, afterwards drawing a pension for his services. He homesteaded in Eden township, Brown county, where he remained until his death in 1911 at the age of 65 years. His wife was born in 1853 and now resides with her daughter, Mrs. William Rhode, of Mor- gan. Mr. and Mrs. Hillger have nine children: Arnolf, born June 19, 1895; Lucy, April 4, 1897; Oscar, June 16, 1900; Ella, August 5, 1903; Herbert, September 19, 1905; Clarence, February 18, 1908; Wilbert, January 27, 1909; Marvin, April 12, 1913; and Lester, December 23, 1915. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church at Morgan.

Christian Frederick Larson, son of Lars Christenson, a farmer of Denmark, and his wife, Ellen Christenson, was born in Den- mark, April 15, 1862. There were six children in the family, Sisley, Christian, Hans, Jens, Anna and Lars. Christian came to America in 1880; his brother Hans, who came in 1884, is now in Oregon. The parents came to America in 1887 with the rest of the children and the mother died in Brookville at the age of 72 and the father at the age of 76 years. They are both buried in Brookville cemetery. Christian F. Larson set out for America in the summer of 1880 and came to Minnesota. He had $5.00 when he arrived at Sleepy Eye and worked near Golden Gate during

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The History of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 19

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

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