USA > Minnesota > Redwood County > The History of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 21
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Alonzo A. Neale, a prosperous farmer of Delhi township, was born August 13, 1854, at Packwaukee, Wis., son of Robert and Diana (Sharpe) Neale, both parents being born and married in England. The father came to America in 1852, and returned later to England for his bride. He was a tailor and followed his trade for a year at Chicago, then to Packwaukee, Wis., where he went into the grocery business and also followed the tailor's trade. He died in 1911 in Sonoma county, Calif., where he was living with his daughter Alma, his wife having died in Packwau- kee, in 1882. They had the following children: Alonzo A .; Alma (Mrs. Joseph Koebom, of Sonoma county, Calif.) ; Jennie (Mrs. Edward Kelly), now deceased; Alva, who is in the grocery business at Sonora, Calif., and Agnes, who died in infancy. Alon- zo A. Neale completed his education while in Wisconsin and at the age of 25 years went in 1879, to Redwood county, Minn., where he bought 80 acres in Delhi township, to which he made additions from time to time until he owned 120 acres. The land was with- out improvements when he came into possesion of it. He erected a small frame house 12 by 16 feet, which was later enlarged so that now he has a good eight-room house. He has also built sub-
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stantial barns, a granary and other needed buildings. He raises Poland China swine and Clyde and Percheron horses, and owns from six to eight milch cows. As a grain farmer he has 45 acres of wheat, 45 acres of corn and 20 acres of oats. In politics Mr. Neale is a Democrat. He has been a director of school district No. 53 for three years. He is a stockholder of the Farmers' Grain and Fuel Company, of Delhi, and of the Farmers' Elevator of North Redwood. He is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Neale was married November 16, 1881, to Christina Johnstone, who was born in Ontario, Canada, December 28, 1858, daughter of James and Christina (McClennan) Johnstone, both parents be- ing born in Scotland. They both came to Canada at an early age and were married in Toronto, moving to Redwood county in 1868, where Mr. Johnstone bought 80 acres of land in Delhi town- ship. In 1871 he sold this land and took a homestead in New Avon township, living there five years. Then he traded this property for a farm in Delhi township, which he later sold to his eldest son. He then moved to Redwood Falls, where he lived for several years and later made his home with his daughter until his death, May 23, 1909. His wife died May 25, 1903. There were six children in the family: Christina; James A., of Mankato, Minn .; Margaret S., widow of Geo. Brown, Redwood Falls, Minn .; Mary J. (Mrs. G. C. Engerman, of Excelsior, Minn.) ; Angus W., of Redwood Falls, Minn .; and John F. Mr. and Mrs. Neale have the following children: Alva A., born September 17, 1882, who married, October 4, 1905, Ellen Bendorf, of Sonora, Calif., and has one child, Florence, born February 23, 1907; Arthur A., born January 26, 1884, who married June 9, 1909, Ethel Pomroy, of Kintire township, and has three children : Eldridge, Beatrice C., and Alma J .; Diana C., born May 26, 1885, who married George Federly of Redwood Falls, June 2, 1909, and has two children, Clara May, born March 12, 1910, and Neale Albert, born May 7, 1913; William I., born February 5, 1887; J. Wesley, born June 18, 1889; Evelyn I., born December 19, 1891; Melba M., born January 29, 1894, and Robert F., born July 7, 1898.
Byron R. Whittet, an enterprising farmer of Paxton township, was born July 10, 1887, Dane county, Wis., son of Thomas A. and Henrietta (Smith) Whittet. The father was born in Dane county, Wis., July 11, 1860, and is now living on a farm in Red- wood Falls township with his wife, who was born in Dane county, Wis., September 16, 1862. He came to Redwood county in March, 1892, and bought 160 acres in section 21, Delhi township. After eight years he sold this and bought 280 acres in Redwood Falls township. Byron R. Whittet is the eldest of four children: By- ron, Hubert, Helen and Grace. After completing his work in the public schools, Byron R. Whittet took a course in agriculture at the Minnesota University in 1907 and 1908 and farmed with
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his father until 1909, when he rented the present place of 160 acres in section 15, Paxton township, and two years afterwards purchased it. The farm was well improved and had an eight- room house, good barns and granary, a grove and an apple or- chard. Mr. Whittet has made further improvements and this year is raising 50 acres of corn, 50 acres of oats, and 25 acres of hay and also markets about 30 head of Duroc Jersey swine, and 18 head of grade Shorthorn cattle, with a full blooded sire. He also has three good graded brood mares. In politics Mr. Whittet is Independent. He was constable of Paxton township during 1912 and 1913 and has served as assessor of this township since 1914. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. of Redwood Falls and his wife is a member of the Christian church of Redwood Falls. Mr. Whittet was married October 27, 1909, to Mildred Wetmore, who was born May 27, 1888, in Clay county, Iowa, daughter of Seymour and Samantha (Shaffer) Wetmore. Her father was born in Iowa, June 6, 1859, and came to Redwood county, March, 1906, where he engaged in farming. Later he sold his farm to Byron Whittet. Mrs. Wetmore was born April 14, 1861, at Free- port, Ill. Both parents of Mrs. Whittet are now living at Red- wood Falls. Mr. Wetmore is affiliated with the I. O. O. F. and the M. W. A. of Redwood Falls, and the family are members of the Christian church. There are four children in the family: Everet, of Paxton township; Ralph, of Redwood Falls township; Mildred (Mrs. Whittet), and Mable, now Mrs. Lewis Cheney, of Paxton township. Mr. and Mrs. Whittet have one child, Donald, born September 4, 1910.
Gottleib Hauptli was born in Switzerland and was there mar- ried. In 1874 he came to America, found his way to Minnesota and to this county and homesteaded one hundred sixty acres in section 22, New Avon township. Starting on a small scale and undergoing all the hardships of pioneer life, he, in time, became a prosperous and successful farmer. He died in 1898. Mr. Hauptli was married in Switzerland to Rosetta Hoffman, who died March 19, 1906. In the family there were six children : Rose, wife of William Lindeman, a merchant of Rowena; Louisa, wife of Fred Mursett, of Redwood Falls; Fred, a farmer of New Avon township; John, who died October 30, 1898, at the age of twenty- one; Mary, wife of James Peterson, a traveling salesman of Sleepy Eye; Lydia, of Sleepy Eye, and Oscar, who died in infancy.
Fred Hauptli, enterprising farmer of New Avon township, was born in Switzerland, June 13, 1872, son of Gottleib and Rosetta (Hoffman) Hauptli, who brought him to New Avon township in 1874. He was reared on this place, attended the district schools, learned farming from his father, gradually assumed the manage- ment of the home farm and purchased it in 1900. He is one of the rising men of the community, carries on general farming along
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the latest approved methods and takes an interest in education, serving as director of school district No. 8 for six years. Mr. Hauptli was married August 28, 1900, to Mary Bill, who was born September 29, 1878, daughter of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Kor- mann) Bill. Mr. and Mrs. Hauptli have eight children: John, Leona, Elmer, Albert, Fred A. (died in infancy), Henry, Leonard and Irvin.
August Lindeman, a Minnesota territorial pioneer, was born February 6, 1822, in Germany, and came to Rochester, Minnesota, in 1854, where he remained for three years. Then he moved to Le Seuer county and remained there for eleven years. In 1868 he bought 160 acres of land in section 7, in the northwest quarter of Beaver Falls township, where he remained until the spring of 1894, when he retired from farming and moved to North Red- wood. On this farm he built a one and a half story log house, 18 by 18 feet, with a shingled roof and board floor, hauling the material from Mankato. Beginning farming with a plow, har- row and a wagon, as his only tools, he gradually improved his land until, in 1894, he had increased his farm to 560 acres. He died in 1896. His good wife, whose maiden name was Mary Grauke, was born in Germany, January 6, 1834, and is now liv- ing at North Redwood at the age of eighty-four.
William Lindeman, a leading citizen and merchant of Rowena, was born in Le Seuer county, Minnesota, October 4, 1865, the son of August and Mary (Grauke) Lindeman, who brought him to Beaver Falls township, Renville county, in 1868. There he was reared and attended the public schools. In 1885 he purchased 160 acres in section 34, New Avon township, this county, and there successfully farmed for many years. In 1897, seeing the possi- bilities of a mercantile career in the vicinity, he opened a gen- eral store near the New Avon creamery in section 32, New Avon township. In 1911, however, when it became evident that Rowena was to be the trading center of the community, he opened a store in that village, which he has since continued to conduct. In that village he makes his home in a splendid modern residence which he erected in 1912, consisting of ten rooms with full basement and many improvements, and is the finest place in the vicinity. In 1915 Mr. Lindeman widened his interests by opening a general store at Clements, which he is conducting in connection with his store at Rowena. A thorough believer in education, Mr. Linde- man has done good service as clerk of the school district No. 7 for some fourteen years. Mr. Lindeman was married October 21, 1890, to Rosa Hauptli, born May 2, 1870, daughter of Gottleib and Rosetta (Hoffman) Hauptli. Mr. and Mrs. Lindeman have been blessed with six children: Sarah, Zelma, Irvin, Henry, Lester and Mable. Sarah was born September 6, 1891, and was married June 26, 1913, to Edward Schuester of Crookston, Minnesota.
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WILLIAM LINDEMAN AND FAMILY
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Zelma was born July 18, 1893, graduated from the Normal de- partment of the Redwood Falls High School and is now a teacher in Olivia. Irvin was born December 1, 1894; Henry was born September 20, 1897; Lester was born June 26, 1902; and Mable was born December 31, 1905.
Douglas Allan, an enterprising and up-to-date farmer of Pax- ton township, was born September 14, 1861, near Aberdeen, Scot- land, son of William and Annie (Creb) Allan, both deceased. His father was a gardener and died before Douglas left Scotland, and his mother died in 1909. There were ten children in the fam- ily, those now living being residents of Scotland, Canada and the United States. Douglas Allan emigrated to America in 1884 and located in Nebraska, where he remained one year. He then moved to Ramsey county, Minn., where he remained until 1888, when he came to Redwood county and bought 320 acres in section 27, Paxton township. On this uncultivated land he began farm- ing, broke the land and made improvements from time to time as his means permitted, with the result that he now has a fine farm with up-to-date buildings, among which may be mentioned a barn, 100 by 40 feet, and a comfortable, seven-room, modern home, all the buildings being equipped with running water and . electric lights. A progressive farmer, he has taken a course at the agricultural college at Hamline, Minn., and is making prac- tical application of the knoweldge gained at that institution. He makes a specialty of raising full-blooded cattle and of the Short- horn breed, Poland China swine and Percheron and Clyde horses, and has 100 acres of wheat, 100 acres of corn, 50 acres of oats and ten of barley, the rest of the land being given up to pasture. He has also a fine grove and apple and plum orchards. In politics Mr. Allan is an Independent and has served as a member of the township board of Paxton two years, and as treasurer of the school board of district No. 47 three years. Mr. Allan was mar- ried October 15, 1885, to Elizabeth Leggat, born July 13, 1859, near Glasgow, Scotland, the only child of John and Agnes (Mill- er) Leggat. Her father was born in 1835 and died in 1900; her mother, born in 1845, died in 1863 in Scotland. Mrs. Allan came to America in 1873 and lived three years at Long Island, New York. She then resided one year on the Hudson river, and sub- sequently spent a year in Kansas, and one in Missouri. In 1877 she came to Minnesota with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Dennistoun, met her future husband in Ramsey county and was married in Minneapolis. She has served as a member of the school board of district No. 47 for twelve years. Mr. and Mrs. Allan have eight children: William D., born May 7, 1887, now living at Brooks, Minn., who married October 2, 1908, Laura Larsen, and has two children : Elizabeth J., born July 29, 1909, and Annie Laurie, born May 6, 1912; Agnes M., born April 16,
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1889, now Mrs. Clarence Okins of Redwood Falls township; Mar- garet D., born January 29, 1891, a stenographer, in Elmore, Minn .; James G., born September 11, 1892, residing at home; Annie E., born February 9, 1894, who is a teacher; George W., born August 19, 1896; Mary H., born November 24, 1898, and John L., born June 10, 1900, the three youngest children being at home. The family are members of the Presbyterian church.
C. M. Bendixen, for over a decade Redwood county's repre- sentative in the lower house of the Minnesota State Legislature, was born in Denmark, December 3, 1857, son of Christian and Car- oline (Jensen) Bendixen. He was reared in his native land and learned agricultural pursuits from his father. In 1880 he came to America, crossed the continent and worked four years in a vineyard in Alameda county, California. In 1884 he came to this state and located in St. Paul, where he secured clerical work, first in railroad offices and later in the office of the auditor of Ramsey county. In the meanwhile he studied evenings, covering the common branches and the usual high school subjects. Thus prepared he matriculated in the evening law school in the Uni- versity of Minnesota, pursuing the courses for some two years. His early training, however, gave him a longing for outdoor life and in 1897 he came to Redwood county and purchased his pres- ent place of 200 acres in section 13, to which he moved the next year. Soon after his arrival he set out an orchard of three acres. In 1901 he erected a splendid modern home and in 1910 con- structed a new barn. Other buildings have been erected as neces- sity required. His farm is in splendid condition, thoroughly tiled and equipped with all the latest implements and machinery. On this place Mr. Bendixen carries on general farming, raising Short- horn cattle, and full-blooded Poland China swine, and makes a specialty of White Wyandotte chickens. A thorough believer in the co-operative movement, he assisted in organizing the Farm- er's Elevator at Morgan and has been its only president. Since 1905 he has been treasurer of the Morgan co-operative creamery. For many years Mr. Bendixen served as clerk of the school board of his district. In 1906 he was elected a member of the State Legislature and his services have been so satisfactory that he has since been continued in that office. In this capacity he has given eminent, satisfaction to his constituents. His voice and vote have ever been on the side of what he has believed to be for the best interests of his state and his ability and integrity have won the esteem and respect of his colleagues. Mr. Bendixen was married March 27, 1886, to Cecelia Larsen, who was born in Denmark August 7, 1865, and died December 25, 1887, leaving one child, Cecelia E. F., who was born December 17, 1887, and died in May, 1888. In November, 1893, Mr. Bendixen married Annie Peterson, who was born in Denmark, August 19, 1863.
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C. M. BENDIXEN AND FAMILY
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This union has been blessed with three children: Cecelia E. F., Helen and Elmer. Cecelia E. F. was born August 8, 1894, and died at the age of four months. Helen was born June 28, 1896, and was graduated in 1914, from the Morgan high school; Elmer was born September 8, 1900, and has taken the short course in the agricultural department of the University of Minnesota.
Lars Benson, a progressive farmer of Three Lakes township, was born in Denmark, April 11, 1873, son of Nels and Maren (Rasmus) Benson. For 35 years his father was the guard at the State prison on the Island of Zealand, near Copenhagen. The mother of Lars died in 1904 at the age of seventy. There were eight children in the family of whom two came to America. Lars came in 1892 and his brother Jens in 1901. The latter engaged in farming in Spink county, South Dakota. Lars Benson worked out near Sleepy Eye for five years. Then in 1900.he bought 160 acres of land in section 12, Three Lakes township, where he now lives. Here he built a seven-room frame house in 1911, and a barn, 36 by 40, in 1902, and planted a fine three-acre grove. He has 35 acres of clover and timothy and keeps graded Shorthorn cattle and Poland China swine, feeding and shipping half a car- load of swine every year, besides carrying on general farming and dairying. He is director of the Farmers' Elevator Company and president of the creamery and of the Shipping Association at Morgan. For three years he has been treasurer of school dis- trict No. 83. Fraternally he is affiliated with the M. B. A. Mr. Benson was married September 17, 1897, to Jennie Paulsen, who was born in Denmark, January 30, 1875, daughter of Adolph Paulsen. Her father was a farmer of Brookville township, who died in 1894, at the age of 54 years; his wife, Mrs. Ellen Paul- sen, dying in 1911, at the age of 73. There were five children born to this union: Louis, May 4, 1900; Mary, September 10, 1901; Edward, December 25, 1905; Edna, January 20, 1909, and Harvey, June 16, 1910. All reside at home. The family are mem- bers of the Danish Lutheran church.
Gustav Backer, postmaster of Clements, was born in Brown county, Minn., June 27, 1877. In 1896 he began working out in Redwood county, where he lived until June, 1898, after which he spent six months at Echo, Minn. The next year and a half was spent at Currie, Minn., where he engaged in business. Octo- ber 1, 1903, he opened a place in Clements, which he conducted until July, 1908. Then he became cashier of the state bank of Clements which position he held for six years. At the end of that time he bought the general store of William Kuehn of Clem- ents, which he has since conducted. December 8, 1914, Mr. Backer was appointed postmaster of Clements and keeps the office in his store, having as assistants, Margaret Neudecker and Elizabeth Bierl. He was village treasurer in 1908 and 1909 and served on
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the school board in 1909. Mr. Backer was married January 19, 1904, to Clara Prokosch, born July 3, 1884, daughter of Frank Prokosch, a farmer of Clements, and his wife, Annie (Krippner) Prokosch. Mr. and Mrs. Backer have four children: Annie M., Sylvester, Leo and Helen. The family are members of the Ger- man Lutheran church of which Mr. Backer is sexton.
Thomas Dennistoun, Sr., son of Malcolm and Ellen (Dobbie) Dennistoun, was born in Scotland, August 20, 1839. His father, a farmer and stone-wall contractor of the county of Stirling, Scot- land, was born August 6, 1812, and died December 23, 1880; his wife was born April 10, 1816, and died April 1, 1899. There were the following children in the family: Agnes, Thomas, Malcolm, Christian, Ann, and Jane, all, with the exception of the subject of this sketch, now living in England or Scotland. Thomas Den- nistoun came to America in January, 1872, and remained in New York state three and a half years, living on Long Island one year. In 1876 he went to Ellis county, Kansas, and worked as foreman on a ranch, where he remained one year. He then went to Min- neapolis, Minn., and was foreman on Col. King's farm, now a part of the city of Minneapolis, where he remained two years. Then he moved to Wisconsin, but after spending a year there, came to Redwood county, Minnesota, in 1884, where he bought half of section 27 and later a quarter section more at $10 per acre. This land is now worth $140 per acre. His son now lives on the western half of the former farm in Paxton township. In the early days this farm was called the "Huddles," because the white people took refuge there seeking protection from the In- dians during the uprising. When Mr. Dennistoun took possession of the farm there were two old houses on it, one of which he oc- cupied for several years. In 1901 he built the present home, a fine eight-room residence. He now rents most of the farm, but when he was actively engaged in tilling the soil he specialized in raising stock, having from 40 to 60 head of Shorthorn cattle a year, 30 head of Clyde graded horses and 80 to 100 head of Berk- shire and Poland China swine a year. He also handled sheep, but of late years has done but little with any stock. He used to raise 75 acres each of corn and oats, the rest of his land being set aside for pasture. In politics a Republican, Mr. Dennistoun served for 20 years on the township board and was also a member of the school board for many years. He is a member of the Presbyterian church of Redwood Falls. Mr. Dennistoun was married February 24, 1865, in Scotland to Margaret Miller, born February 26, 1833, daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth (Shaw) Miller, who were married November 15, 1824. Her father was born in Scotland and died at the age of 40 years; her mother, also born in Scot- land, died at the age of 68. Their children were: Elizabeth, born October 4, 1825; Margaret, born December 23, 1826; Alexander,
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MR. AND MRS. THOMAS DENNISTOUN
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MR. AND MRS. ROBERT PARKER WILLIAM R. PARKER AND FAMILY
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born November 1, 1828; Janet, born April 18, 1830; Ann, born October 26, 1831; Margaret, born February 26, 1833; Jane Mc- Cally, born April 7, 1835; Mary, born June 11, 1838; Agnes, born May 1, 1840; Annabelle Todd, born November 1, 1845; and David, born February 5, 1847. Mr. and Mrs. Dennistoun have the fol- lowing children: Elizabeth, born November 23, 1865, in Scot- land, who died December 4, 1869; Malcom, born December 24, 1867; Thomas, born January 4, 1870, who died December 12, 1872; Alexander, born June 5, 1872; David, born April 17, 1874; Mar- garet, born July 21, 1876, who is now Mrs. Fred M. Banker, of Redwood Falls; Thomas, born October 1, 1878; and James, born February 28, 1882, who died August 3, 1884.
Robert Parker, an early settler of Three Lakes township, this county, now deceased, was born in Lincolnshire, England, Novem- ber 10, 1838, was there reared and educated and there grew to manhood. In 1867 he came to America and after living two years in Wisconsin came to Three Lakes township in 1869 and home- steaded a tract of land in section 20, Three Lakes township. He broke the land, erected suitable buildings and prosperously car- ried on general farming until 1902, when he moved to Redwood Falls, where he died June 2, 1912. Since that time his widow has made her home in St. Paul. Mr. Parker was married in Eng- land to Maria Kemp and to this union were born four children : Emma, wife of H. B. Bacon, of St. Paul; Mary, now Mrs. Theodore Dahms, of Clements, this county; William R. and Joseph, both successful farmers of Three Lakes. David Parker, a brother of Robert Parker, lives in Redwood Falls; his other relatives being in England.
William R. Parker, one of the successful and prosperous farm- ers of Three Lakes township, is a thorough product of Redwood county, having been born in the township where he now resides, August 27, 1879, son of Robert and Maria (Kemp) Parker. He attended the district schools of his neighborhood and later had the advantages of courses in the Wilder College in Cottonwood county, this state and in the Mankato Commercial College, Man- kato, Minnesota. He divided his time between attending school, working for his father and working for others as a farm hand for several years. Since 1902, he has had charge of the home place, which he purchased in 1912. This fine farm of 320 acres shows everywhere his thrift and good judgment. Year by year, he has made improvements until he has now one of the finest places in the vicinity. The sightly barn, 40 by 70 feet, with its concrete foundation and floor, and the corn crib, 24 by 40 feet, were both constructed in 1913. The ten-room modern home with its concrete basement and complete with all modern fixtures in- cluding hot air heat was erected in 1915. This place has a good grove, and an acre of fruit and is well-fenced and tilled. A spe-
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