USA > Minnesota > Redwood County > The History of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 24
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George Bauer, of Charlestown township, was born in Alle- gheny, Pa., February 6, 1852, son of John and Barbara Bauer, natives of Germany, who were married in Pennsylvania. John, an iron worker in Pennsylvania, died when George was two days old, leaving four children: Emma, Christina, John and George. The mother was married again to Gotlieb Jacob and they came to Minnesota in 1865, being among the first settlers of Charlestown township, Redwood county. He secured 160 acres of land and built a dug-out, which was later replaced by a log house, the logs being hauled from the river. At first they stayed with Charles Porter. The nearest neighbor was twelve miles away. New Ulm was the nearest milling place. Once when returning from New Ulm they were caught in a storm and attacked by wolves. The grasshoppers came and for several years destroyed their crops. Mr. Jacob was one of the organizers of the township. He sold his farm to Frank Holznagle and died at the age of 66 years. His wife died at the age of 66 years. The family faith was that of the German Lutheran church. George Bauer grew up in Charlestown township and later located a homestead in the township, which was "jumped" soon after he had built a log house on it. He then bought eighty acres of wild land without any improvements, in section 4, and built a shanty 14 by 16 and later he added 160 acres more and made many improvements. He
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moved to Sanborn January, 1916, and died March 13, 1916. He was married to Amelia Wolf Miller, born in Germany December 3, 1858, daughter of John and Dora Wolf, both natives of Ger- many, who lived and died there. She had married Carl Miller in Germany and at his death came to America with one child, Emma, in 1888, locating in Sundown township. She was married to Mr. Bauer the same year. Mr. and Mrs. Bauer have the following children : William, John, Edward, Walter, Ella, Paulina, Elsie and Leon. The family faith is that of the German Evangelical church.
Alexander William Wog, a thrifty farmer of Charlestown town- ship, was born on his father's homestead April 12, 1881. He at- tended school in the old school of the section and grew to man- hood on his father's farm. Then he began farming on a quarter section of land, a part of his father's farm, buying the old school house and converted it into a granary. In 1911 he bought the old Fischer farm, a tract of 80 acres in section 14, Charlestown township. He raises good stock and has fine fruit orchard of apples, plums and cherries. He has built a modern house and other good buildings. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Eleva- tor Company at Sanborn. Mr. Wog was married March 15, 1911, to Abigail Lockie, born in Illinois, July 16, 1885, daughter of James and Abigail (Castella) Lockie, both natives of Ireland, who came to Canada as a young married couple and later moved to Illinois. In 1892 they located in Willow Lake township, Redwood county, where they engaged in farming. They had a family of seven children, of whom six are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Wog have two children, Agneta and Ruth. The family faith is that of the Lutheran church at Sundown.
Ernest M. E. Burginger, an enterprising young farmer of Charlestown township, was born March 4, 1880, on the old home- stead, section 22, Charlestown township, son of John and Johanna (Gaeger) Burginger. His parents were natives of Germany. They' were married in London and came to the United States, first locating in Iowa and later came to Minnesota and settled at Sleepy Eye. In 1871 they moved to Charlestown township, where a brother, John, had settled on a homestead of 160 acres in section 22, where he put up a frame house and began farming. They had a team of oxen and began breaking ground. The nearest mill was at New Ulm. There were only five houses on the road from the farm to New Ulm, making it very difficult to keep in the road dur- ing snowstorms. For several years the grasshoppers destroyed the crops and the father had to work out to earn money to pro- vide the family food and clothing. In time he built good build- ings. He raised considerable grain and kept good stock. He was one of the organizers of the township. He died in 1908 at the age of 65 and his wife died in 1912 at the age of 73. They had ten children, of whom five are now living: John, Lena, Mary, Ernest
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and Frank. Ernest attended the district school of Sanborn and later engaged in farming. He is now located in section 28, Charles- town township, where he carries on diversified farming and raises good stock. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Com- pany and the Farmers' Bank of Sanborn. He was married to Emma Sauer, born in Wittenberg, Germany, February 22, 1883, daughter of David and Marie (Bauer) Sauer. There were six children in the family, all of whom came to America. Mr. and Mrs. Burginger have two children, Wilfred and Erwin.
August Trapp, a progressive farmer of Charlestown township, was born January 22, 1851, in Germany, son of Fritz Trapp. He emigrated from Germany when 22 years of age and came to Neenah, Wis. After three years he went to Charlestown town- ship, Redwood county, Minnesota, where, in 1880, he homesteaded 80 acres in section 24. He built a frame house and put up a sod barn and farmed with a team of horses. Later he set out a grove and has since built a fine modern house and barn and brought his farm to a high state of cultivation. He now farms 380 acres and raises good stock. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Company and Farmers' Bank at Sanborn. Mr. Trapp was mar- ried in 1879 to Bertha Neeb, daughter of John Neeb. Six children were born: Mollie, Gusta, Manda, Otto, Theodore and Susanna. The family faith is that of the German Lutheran church.
H. L. Ringle, one of the prominent farmers of Charlestown township, was born January 12, 1861, in Herman, Dodge county, Wisconsin, son of B. L. Ringle. The family moved to Lewistown, Winona county, Minn., in 1867, and here H. L. Ringle grew to manhood. At the age of 24 he came to Charlestown township, Redwood county, and located a homestead of 160 acres, where he now lives. It was all wild land when he bought it. By hard work and steady application to business he has prospered, having.now one of the best as well as one of the most picturesque farms in the county. He carries on general farming and raises good stock. His apple orchard contains fine Baldwin, Greenings, Ben Davis, Patent Greenings, Strawberry crabs and other varieties. He has set out a beautiful grove. His first house was a small structure, 16 by 24. He has now built a fine seven-room modern house, also a barn, 36 by 60. Other recent buildings are a 24 by 60 tool shed, a hog pen and a granary, 24 by 32, where the grain is put in as in the large town elevators and distributed to the various bins by means of carriers run by engine power. He has threshed grain for 36 years. He also raises many stands of bees. He now farms 360 acres in Redwood county and also 80 acres in Brown county. He has held various offices and is now justice of the peace and a member of the school board. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Company at Sanborn. Mr. Ringle was married first to Maria Gehring and they had one child, Hulda. He was married
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a second time to Bertha Schlick. By this marriage there were eleven children: Adina, Auora, Lydia, Ernest, Amanda, Laura, Helena, Lawrence, Anita, Carl and Mildred.
Chas. G. Tesmer, a retired farmer of Sanborn, Minn., was born in West Prussia, Germany, July 12, 1850, son of Daniel and Eliza- beth (Schmidt) Tesmer. The father fought in the French-Prussian war and spent three days and nights in battle without food. He served six years after this and received seven medals, one of them being sent by the kaiser when he was 76 years old. He died in 1913 at the age of 85 and his wife died in 1915 at the age of 82. They had a family of twelve children. Charles G. Tesmer was the second youngest and he and his sister, Justine, now Mrs. Ford Gert, of Cottonwood county, were the only ones to come to the United States. Charles attended school in Germany, took up the tailor trade and worked at it for two years. Then desiring more active work he engaged in farm work. At the age of 19 he left for America and came to New Ulm in 1869. He hired out to a threshing crew at $1.00 per day and worked later at $6 per month, chopping fence posts and rails. In the spring he went to Waseca, where he worked for about two months. Then he worked on the railroad at Owatonna and Mankato. Next he went to Fillmore county and worked eight months for a farmer there to learn the methods of farming in the new country. Then he returned to New Ulm and again chopped cordwood. In the spring of 1872 he located a homestead in Germantown, Cottonwood county, get- ting a pre-emption claim of 160 acres, which he changed to a homestead three years later. He put up a 12 by 14 building and began farming with an ox team. He hired a neighbor boy to help on the farm and went to work on the railway at Sleepy Eye. He drove by ox team to New Ulm to get seed wheat, being three days on the trip, and paid at the rate of $1.00 per bushel, getting it on time at 12 per cent interest. He bought 40 bushels, which he sowed and most of the crop was destroyed by the grasshoppers, his crop yielding only 18 or 20 bushels. He then went to work at $2 per day to pay for the seed wheat. He repeated the sowing the next year, getting 20 bushels more at 80c per bushel, on time. The grasshoppers took this crop also. Then again he went out to work and earned money to pay for the seed used. The next year he sowed 18 bushels and from this he had a meagre crop but not enough to pay for his seed. The fourth year he got a crop which he sold at 40c per bushel. After this things began to im- prove and he added more land to his farm until he had half a section. He built a modern house and raised good stock. He held several township offices, having been clerk for fifteen years, clerk of the school district for fifteen years and justice of peace eighteen years. He was a member of the German Lutheran church and one of the organizers of the church. In 1901 he left the farm
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JAMES McGUIRE AND FAMILY
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and built three dwellings in Sanborn, moving into one of these in 1902 and has lived there ever since. He has also held the office of mayor of Sanborn one term and was justice one and a half years. Mr. Tesmer was married in 1872 to Anna Semrow, a na- tive of Prussia, Germany. She died April 19, 1886, at the age of 32, leaving the following children: Albert G., born October 16, 1873, deceased; Emil, born July 20, 1875, deceased; Carl G., born June 6, 1877, deceased; Adolph, born March 13, 1879; Benjamin R., born November 9, 1881; Leopold, born March 2, 1884; and Maria, born April 14, 1886.
James McGuire was born July 25, 1851, in Ontario, Canada, son of James and Catherine McGuire, both natives of Fermanagh county, North Ireland. James came to America in 1839 by sailing vessel and Catherine came in 1840. They were married in 1849, began forming and lived there until 1872 when they moved to Minnesota and joined their son James. There were four children in the family : James, Thomas, Bridget and Anna. James was the first to leave for the United States, coming in 1871. He located in 1872 on a homestead of 160 acres of wild land in section 26, Wil- low Lake township, and put up a small shack, 8 by 12. He traded his horse team for oxen. That same year his parents joined him with the rest of the family. He began to break up the land and sow seed but the grasshoppers took his crops and for five years there were hard times. Later things improved and he built a modern farm house. His father secured a homestead in section 36 and his brother Thomas got one in section 34. His father died in 1882, and his mother died in 1887. The family was the only one that remained during the winter of 1872. He worked together with his sister Bridget and brother Thomas and all three sold and bought several hundred acres of land. They raised good graded stock. Thomas died in 1912 at the age of 58 and James and Bridget retired from active work and moved to Sanborn, where they have lived ever since. Mr. McGuire was one of the early officers of the township. He held office of constable and road boss. The family faith is that of the Catholic church.
Louis Holznagel, a retired farmer of Sanborn, was born in Pomerania, Germany, March 31, 1850, son of .Frederick and Louisa (Blindow) Holznagel. They had three boys and two girls. Louis Holznagel served for four years in the German army, taking part in the war of 1871. At the age of 22 he came to the United States and landed at New York in the fall of 1872 without a penny to his name. A friend helped him to get as far as Chicago. He arrived there shortly after the great fire and found work. The next year he went to Wisconsin and did farm work at $1.00 per day. In the fall he went to Indiana and worked in the pineries all winter, going back to farm work in Wisconsin in the spring. In 1874 or 1875 he came to Minnesota and located
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on a farm in Greenwood prairie. Here his parents and their family joined him. He rented this farm for two years and then moved to Redwood county, locating a homestead of 160 acres of wild land in section 4, Charlestown township. Here he built a frame house, 14x20 and began farming. His nearest milling place was at Redwood Falls. In time he increased his farm to 460 acres. He lived there until three years ago when he retired from active work and moved to Sanborn. He held office as township supervisor for two years and was a member of the school board. He helped organize school district No. 45. He is a member of the Evangelical church, of which he is one of the founders and a charter member. Mr. Holznagel was married November 6, 1879, to Emma Jacob, born in Pennsylvania, August 10, 1861, daughter of Gottlieb and Barbara (Hopengofner) Jacob, both natives of Germany. Her parents located in Minnesota in 1862 after the Indian outbreak had been quelled, locating near New Ulm. Later they settled in Charlestown township, section 20, where her father homesteaded 160 acres of wild land and built a log house. They endured all the hardships of the early pioneers. The nearest milling place was at New Ulm and often they ground browned barley for coffee. They had many experiences with the snow storms, and the wolves were also bad. During the grasshopper siege a great part of their crops was destroyed. Her parents both died in Sanborn. Mr. and Mrs. Holznagel have had eleven chil- dren : John, born Aug. 24, 1880; Polly, born Feb. 8, 1882; Mary, born June 6, 1884 and died in infancy; Stena, born June 14, 1886; William, born Oct. 26, 1888; Elgin, born Feb. 26, 1891; Fritz, born Sept. 25, 1893; Clara, born July 20, 1895; Hattie, born Dec. 23, 1898; August, born July 30, 1900, and Louis, born March 2, 1902.
Mrs. Matilda Schwahn was born in Chicago, November 18, 1845, daughter of Frank Trach and Catherine (Legro) Trach. Her father was born in Bohemia in 1827 and died in January, 1900. He was married in Bohemia to Catherine Legro, born November 25, 1823. They left for America with their two chil- dren: Catherine and Joseph, and located in Canada, then came to Chicago, and then to Manitowoc, Wis. He became very friendly with the Indains of Wisconsin, often going hunting with them. The other children born in America were: Matilda, William, Julius, Amelia, Celia and Frank. At the close of the Indian troubles in Minesota the family located in Germantown, Cotton- wood county, and engaged in farming. They suffered much from the grasshoppers and met other hardships incident to pioneer life. Matilda Trach was married three times. She married Peter Man- derfield, born in Prussia, Germany, who secured a timber claim in Cottonwood county, Minn., and began farming with a log cabin and ox team. After four years he died at the age of twenty-eight years. He was of the Catholic faith. She married the second time
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Dr. Orson Allen Case, who practiced at Sanborn and was well known in the county. After ten years he died. She then married R. H. Schwahn and located on a farm of 240 acres in Redwood county. After fifteen years he died. He was township officer several times. Mrs. Schwahn has had many varied pioneer ex- periences in her days in Wisconsin and later in Minnesota, and while her life has been one of many hardships she has prospered and enjoys her remaining days in the quiet of her beautiful home at Sanborn.
Edward Walter Flaig, a farmer of Charlestown township, was born on his father's homestead November 15, 1879, son of Michael and Helen (Blake) Flaig, natives of Germany and Ireland re- spectively, who were united in marriage in Grant county, Wiscon- sin. Michael Flaig located later in Charlestown township, Redwood county, where he had secured a homestead and tree claim, each containing 80 acres of land. He built a rude frame building, 14x20, into which he moved with his large family. They came from Wisconsin by horse team but one horse died and he traded the other for an ox team and a cow. He made his own wagon, being a blacksmith by trade. During the grasshopper siege he lost his crops, but after a time conditions began to improve and he prospered and secured a section of land. He was an extensive grain raiser. He held township office and was chairman of the board of supervisors. He was active in public work and was influential in securing the station of Sanborn. He helped or- ganize the first school. He was affiliated with the Masonic lodge at Springfield. He died Dec. 18, 1909, and his wife died March 17, 1907. Edward W. Flaig grew to manhood on his father's farm and engaged in farming for himself. He now has 320 acres of land under cultivation and raises good stock. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Co-operative Elevator, the Farmers Store and the Farmers Bank of Sanborn. Mr. Flaig was married to Mary Whelan, born in Charlestown township, daughter of John R. Whelan. Mr. and Mrs. Flaig have two children: Loraine and Loretta. They are members of the Catholic church.
Albert E. Cook, one of the most prominent hog raisers and auctioneers in Redwood county, was born in Fountain county, Indiana, January 23, 1858, son of William P. and Mary (Ships) Cook. He attended the schools of his neighborhood and later re- ceived a good commercial education. He grew to manhood on the farm and engaged in farming and at the age of twenty-five began for himself. He farmed for eight years in Illinois and then in 1897 located in Dakota, where he remained for one year. He then came to Redwood county, Minnesota, where he located in Lamberton township. In 1914 he. located on his present place in section 15, Charlestown township, where he now farms 120 acres of land. He raises full blooded Duroc Jersey hogs, having one of the best
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herds in the county and keeps a good grade of horses. He is a member of the Farmers Elevator at Lamberton. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Masonic lodge of Lamberton. He has been an auctioneer since he was twenty-five years of age and his services are always in demand. Mr. Cook was married March 28, 1888, to Anna F. Hunnel, a native of Knox county, Illinois, born Jan. 25, 1868. They have three children: William H., and Ed- ward, are home. Della R. married Wm. G. McGee and has one child, Edward L., and resides at Lamberton, this county.
Rudolph Kosel, one of the old pioneers of Charlestown town- ship, now deceased, was born in Germany and came to Lewiston, Winona county, Minnesota, when a young man. He was a shoe- maker by trade. He located a homestead in Charlestown town- ship, Redwood county, in section 6, of 160 acres of wild land and here he put up a log house and a straw barn and began farm- ing with a team of oxen. His son lives there now. He worked hard, and in time was able to increase his holdings, at one time owning 720 acres. The nearest milling places were at Redwood Falls, Sleepy Eye and New Ulm. He had several experiences with the blizzards and during one of these was obliged to make a dugout in the snow drift and remain there all night, having lost his way on a trip to the river for wood. For several seasons the grasshoppers destroyed his crops and he had to work out in order to earn a living for himself and family. He was a large stock raiser. He was affiliated with the I. O. O. F. of Sanborn and was one of its charter members. Mr. Kosel was married to Minnie Raddach, and fourteen children were born to them. Mr. Kosel died at the age of sixty-five years and his wife died when about sixty-four years of age. The family faith was that of the German Lutheran church.
William Kosel, son of Rudolph and Minnie Kosel, was born Dec. 17, 1877. He attended the country school and grew to man- hood on his father's farm. After his marriage he began farm- ing for himself and obtained 160 acres of land in section 23, Charlestown township. There were some old buildings on the place at the time of its purchase but he has since rebuilt and erected good buildings. He raises good stock and carries on gen- eral farming. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Com- pany at Sanborn. Mr. Kosel was married to Anna Krahn, daugh- ter of Carl Krahn, an old settler of Germantown, Cottonwood county. Three children have been born: Wilmer, Alvin and Edna. The family faith is that of the German Lutheran church.
John J. Welsh, a prosperous farmer of Charlestown township, was born in Ontario, Canada, Dec. 23, 1863, son of Ulick and Bridget Welsh. Ulick Welsh was a native of county Mayo, Ire- land and came to America when eighteen years old in company
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JOHN J. WELSH AND FAMILY
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with his sister Bridget. He grew to manhood in Canada, where he engaged in farming and also working in the North woods and did river driving. He was married in Canada and in 1870 moved to Minnesota, where he located a homestead of 160 acres in section 2, Charlestown township, Redwood county. It was all wild land. He put up a sod house. Here his two children, John and Catherine (now Mrs. C. A. Allen, of Iowa), joined him. He had a team of oxen and a cow. The nearest mill was at Redwood Falls. He died Feb. 12, 1907, at the age of eighty-eight and his wife died in 1866 in Canada. John hired out for work at an early age. After a time he took charge of the 80 acre homestead of his father. Groves had been set out by his father and he set out more groves and erected good buildings. He now farms a half section of land and raises Hereford cattle, Norman horses and Duroc Jersey hogs. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Com- pany, the Farmers Store and the Farmers Bank of Sanborn. Mr. Welsh was married to Ellen Flaig January 22, 1890. The follow- ing children have been born to them: Sylvester J., Ethel, Cath- erine, Blanche, Walter, John, Helen, Margaret, Lucy (deceased) and Lenora all living home.
Henry F. Weber, an energetic farmer of Charlestown township, was born August 9, 1867, in Lewiston, Winona county, Minnesota. He received but little schooling, the teaching being done at home, and he grew up on a farm. He remained at home until he located his present place in section 27, Charlestown township where he began with 80 acres. His father helped him build a small house, and here he began farming for himself. He has made many im- provements on the place as time has passed by. In 1911 he added 80 acres of land. He has built a new barn and erected other good farm buildings. He raises a good grade of Holstein cattle, Chester White hogs and carries on diversified farming. He is a stock- holder in the Farmers Elevator Co. of Sanborn. Mr. Weber married Barbara Sauer, December 25, 1890. They have the fol- lowing children : Lida, Alelhaid, Herbert, William, David, Ernest, Carl, Ulca and one died in infancy.
Herman Yackel, a well known farmer of Charlestown town- ship, was born near Lewiston, Minn., Oct. 29, 1871, son of Peter and Augusta (Liehman) Yackel, natives of Germany, who were married in Wisconsin. They settled in Winona county, near Lewiston, and rented a farm. In 1882 they moved to Charlestown township and located on a tract of 160 acres 50 of which were broken. Good buildings were erected and more land added. The father died May 17, 1915, at the age of seventy-six, and his wife died thirty years ago at the age of about fifty. There were ten children in the family, Herman being the seventh. He at- tended school in Charlestown township and grew to manhood there, remaining with his father and took charge of the old home-
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