USA > Minnesota > Redwood County > The History of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 36
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John Martin was born in Sweden in 1847 and came to Amer- ica in 1868, locating in Carver county, Minnesota, where he re- mained one year. In 1869 he bought 80 acres of land in Delhi township, but failed to make the necessary payments and lost it. He then returned to Carver, Carver county. In 1880 he came to Swedes Forest township, Redwood county, and bought 160 acres in section 31. He put in a crop, but the grasshoppers ruined it and he returned to Carver for the winter and cut wood. The next spring he returned to Swedes Forest and put in another crop, which the grasshoppers also destroyed. Undaunted, how- ever, he held on to his land. In 1891 he became the agent of the .Great Western Grain Company, a Minneapolis firm, at Belview and continued in this position until 1898. He built the Inde- pendent Elevator, which is now known as the Farmers Grain & Fuel Co. He continued to add to his holdings until he owned 2,170 acres of land in Swedes Forest, Delhi, Vesta and Kintire townships. In 1898 he built a fine house in Belview costing $6,000. A hard worker, Mr. Martin raised himself from com- parative poverty to a position of affluence. He was influential in getting the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway to locate a sta- tion at Belview. February 9, 1900, he died while yet in middle life, his loss being deeply deplored by his numerous friends. Mr. Martin was married in 1880, at Beaver Falls, Renville county, Minnesota, to Turina Rennevammen, who was born December 18, 1861, in Fillmore county, Minnesota, and who is now making her home at Parkland, Washington. Their children were Mathilda, Ida, Frank, Oscar, Sophia, John, Charles, Otto and Henry.
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Daniel W. Banker, now owner of a fine apple and fruit ranch in Oregon, was born in Clinton county, New York, December 15, 1842, son of Elias and Mary (Morrison) Banker. When he was but four years old his father died in New York State at the age of forty-eight years, and the wife and children came to Minne-
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sota in 1851. She died at Maple Grove, Minn., about 1904. They were the parents of eight children. Daniel W. Banker was brought up on the farm and in his youth attended the public schools. At the age of twenty years he began industrial life as clerk in the store of N. Crockett at Osseo, Minn., and was thus occupied for one year. Then for two months he was on a farm in Anoka county, returning subsequently to his home at Maple Grove, Hennepin county. In 1871 Mr. Banker rented a farm near Osseo for three years. The next year he drove the stage from Maple Grove to Monticello and from 1875 to 1878 he was farming and running a mill. Coming to Redwood county in 1878, he rented land for three and a half years. In 1882 he again came to Redwood county and worked by the year until 1884. That year he purchased a farm near Marshall, Minn., which he operated for a year and a half, and then rented his land to his brother-in-law and worked out for about five years. After that he purchased 160 acres of land in Paxton township, and a year later added another 160 acres, making an excellent farm of 320 acres, located in sections 21 and 28, which property he still owns. On it he made extensive improvements, including all necessary buildings and there followed diversified farming. He made .a specialty of breeding fine draft horses, having an imported Per- cheron sire. Mr. Banker was also prominent in local affairs. He served as supervisor and chairman of the town board and also on the school board. He cast his first presidential ballot in 1868 for General U. S. Grant and has been an ardent worker in the Republican party ever since. He continued to live on his farm until 1911, when he removed to Oregon, where he is now engaged in fruit ranching. Daniel W. Banker was married De- cember 24, 1871, to Ellen M. Pike, who was born in Essex county, Massachusetts, August 21, 1853. Mrs. Banker traces her ances- tors back to Major Robert Pike, who was born in 1615, became a member of the Massachusetts colony in 1635, and there died at the age of ninety-two years. In his family of eight children, Robert, the second in order of birth, was the ancestor in direct line of Mrs. Banker. Her grandparents, Caleb and Mary (Pike) Pike, who were second or third cousins, were natives of the Old Bay State and there both died. Her parents, Moses K. and Emma J. (Barnard) Pike, were also natives of that state, born in Essex county, the former September 24, 1839. The father came to Maple Grove, Minn., in 1866, and here purchased a partially im- proved farm, which six years later he sold. He then settled near Northfield, this state, where he died from the effects of a kick from a horse, April 1, 1896. He had long survived his wife, who died January 1, 1867. In their family there were four children. Mrs. Banker was educated in the district schools and remained at home until her marriage to Mr. Banker. Of this union two chil-
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dren were born: Fred M., August 28, 1873, and Emma M., August 18, 1878. Both acquired a good education in the schools of Red- wood Falls, Fred finishing his studies in the high school of Min- neapolis. He is now a representative business man and farmer of Redwood Falls. Emma M. is now Mrs. Raleigh E. Jennings of Long Beach, Cal. The family worship at the Presbyterian church.
Fred M. Banker, manager of the stock yards at Redwood Falls, was born August 28, 1873, in Osseo, Minn., son of Daniel W. and Nellie (Pike) Banker. He completed his studies in a Minneapolis high school and then worked with his father until 1907, when he entered into partnership with C. E. Lamberton operating a bus line in Redwood Falls. In the fall of 1909 he became a partner with his brother-in-law, A. M. Dennistoun in the stock and farm- ing business and bought his present farm of 220 acres on the outskirts of Redwood Falls. Mr. Banker, being the manager, lives on the farm. They now have five acres of stock yards and are ex- tensive buyers, feeders and shippers of cattle, swine and horses, keeping also on hand several full blooded Durham cattle, Per- cheron horses and Duroc Jersey and Poland China swine. Besides stock raising they carry on farming and have an acreage of 290 acres of corn, 30 of wheat and 110 of oats. There is a modern six-room cottage on the farm and many substantial farm build- ings : two barns, 36 by 60 feet each; one 24 by 40 feet; one 16 by 40 feet, and another 26 by 80 feet; a scale house, 16 by 18 feet, and a silo,18 by 36, with a capacity of 200 tons, and three corn cribs with a capacity of 800 bushels, all improvements having been made by the owners. Besides this farm, Mr. Banker is also owner of 160 acres in section 21, Paxton township, 40 acres in section 11, Redwood Falls township, and has an interest in 40 acres in sec- tion 19, Paxton township. Mr. Banker is stockholder and director of the Farmers Elevator Company at Redwood Falls and stock- holder in the Rural Telephone Company. In politics he is a Re- publican and has served as treasurer of the township board of Paxton township for three years. He is a member of the Masonic lodge and also of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Banker was mar- ried Oct. 25, 1899, to Margaret Dennistoun, who was born in July, 1876, daughter of Thomas and Margaret Dennistoun of Paxton township. They have one child, Horace, born June 21, 1908.
Mathias Christensen, was born in Denmark. Upon coming to America, he lived in Stearns county, this state, some eight years, and then located in Walsh county, North Dakota, in the Red River Valley, where he secured a homestead. About nine years later he came to Brookville township, this county, and bought 400 acres of land, where he farmed until 1900, when he retired and erected a house on a tract of 80 acres, where he still lives. Mr. Christensen married Christina Johnson and they had four
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children. Matilda is now Mrs. C. H. Frederiksen. Ole, Christian, and Karen, who is now Mrs. James Jenson, occupy different por- tions of the home farm.
Lars Frederiksen, for some years a citizen of Sundown town- ship, was born in Denmark in 1836, and there married Lena Johan- nesen, who was born in 1839. They came to the United States in 1881, and found their way to Sleepy Eye, Brown county, this state, and starting with a capital of $300 secured four cows and two oxen and squatted on a piece of land. Two years later they purchased 40 acres in the same vicinity. They were not entirely satisfied with the place, however, and so they sold out and secured 80 acres in Sundown township, this county. Working together with a will, the family erected a house 20 by 24 feet and a barn, 26 by 40 feet, and built up a good dairy business. Mr. Frederiksen died in 1890 and his wife on Christmas eve, 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Frederik- sen have had eight children: Tena (deceased), Christian H., Re- gine (deceased), Adolph, Mollie, Peter, Laura and Harry. Tena married H. J. Rasmussen. They came to America in 1877, located in Salt Lake City, became affiliated with the Mormon faith, and had eight children. She died in March, 1898. Christian H. lives in Sundown township. Regine died in Denmark in January, 1913. Adolph is practicing law at Springfield, Minn. Mollie is the wife of James Peterson, a farmer of Norma, N. D. Peter is a farmer of Brookville township. Laura is the wife of Jorgen Ras- mussen, a farmer of Norma, N. D. Harry is a farmer of Norma, North Dakota.
Christian H. Frederiksen, farmer and stock raiser of Sundown township, was born in Denmark, May 14, 1862, son of Lars and Lena (Johannesen) Frederiksen. He came to America with his parents in 1881 and lived with them in Brown and Redwood coun- ties. In 1888 he purchased 120 acres of state land in section 12, Sundown township. To this he has since added a number of tracts among which may be mentioned 160 acres in section 1, Sundown, purchased in 1892; 160 acres in section 19, Morgan township, pur- chased in 1901, and 160 acres in section 13, Three Lakes township, purchased in 1907. On his original place in section 12 he has made many modern improvements, including a sightly home, erected in 1911. Mr. Frederiksen carries on general farming, and makes a specialty of stock feeding, a business in which he has been extensively engaged for some twenty years. Active in public affairs, he is president of the Redwood County Bureau of Agri- culture, and is clerk of school district 86, which he helped to or- ganize. For ten years he did service as county commissioner, resigning in 1914; he is also township clerk of Sundown township. Mr. Frederiksen has engaged in the process of transforming the raw prairie into a model farming community, with all facilities for pleasant rural living. Mr. Frederiksen was married August 2,
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C. H. FREDERICKSEN AND FAMILY
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1892, to Matilda Christensen, who was born in Minnesota, 1872. This union has been blessed with eleven children: Louis B., born March 15, 1894; Elmer M., September 10, 1895; Pearl, April 24, 1898; Ethel, born September 9, 1900 and died January 5, 1916; Andrew V., born July 16, 1902; Richard C., born March 12, 1904; Allen D., born March 25, 1906; Harry W., born April 5, 1908; Florence, May 11, 1910; Alice, March 11, 1913, and Raymond, March 10, 1915.
Charles Lund, a pioneer farmer of Johnsonville township, now retired, was born in Sweden, July 7, 1848, son of Magnus Johnson and Helen Johnson, both of whom were natives of Sweden and died in that country. He acquired his education in his native land, and was brought up to farming, which occupation he followed until coming to America in 1868. Locating in Carver county, Minnesota, he found employment in the harvest fields and on the railroad until 1872. He then came to Redwood county and took a pre-emption claim of 160 acres. Paying for 80 acres of it, he homesteaded the other 80 acres, located in section 34, Johnsonville township. His farm then consisted of wild prairie land and he was the first settler in that part of the county. Mr. Lund at once got busy. Hauling lumber by ox team from New Ulm, he built his first residence-a small and unpretentions dwelling, consisting of a dugout with a shanty over it, began breaking the land and planted two acres of grove. Before long he increased his holdings by the addition of 80 acres of railroad land, by which time he had 240 acres all in one farm. After residing in his primi- tive dwelling for five years, he built a frame house, which he has since twice rebuilt, and in addition to a commodious residence he now has a fine barn and outbuildings. He followed general farm- ing until 1914, and, although, in common with the other pioneer settlers, he had to endure many hardships and misfortunes in early days, he persevered until better days came and rewarded him with a fair measure of prosperity. In 1914 Mr. Lund rented his farm to his son and retired from active labor, going to reside at Walnut Grove in a house which he had previously purchased. During his active career he found time to participate more or less in public affairs, served as chairman of the town board for several years and was treasurer of school district No. 19 for about sixteen years. He is a stockholder in the Building and Loan Association and in the Walnut Grove State Bank, of which he is one of the directors. His religious affiliations are with the Swedish Lutheran church. Mr. Lund was married in November, 1872, to Anne Charlotte Swenson, who was born in Sweden, April 21, 1856, and who came to America in 1861. They have been the parents of eleven chil- dren, of whom the three eldest, John, Anton and Edward, are now deceased. The survivors are : Esther, now Mrs. Jens Nickol- sen, postmistress at Revere; Laura, who is the widow of Nels
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Pehrson; Hanna, who married Olle B. Dahlgren, a merchant of Walnut Grove; Anna, wife of Albert Dahlgren of Gales township; Edward, who resides on the old homestead; and Minnie, Hathe and Arthur, who reside at home.
Henry C. Engeman, manager of the Farmers Grain and Fuel Company at Delhi, Minn., was born March 27, 1872, in Renville county, Minnesota, son of Henry and Anna (Gaffney) Engeman. The father, born in Germany, came to America in 1862, locating in 1865 in Renville county, where he farmed for many years. He died in 1911, when nearly ninety years of age. After coming west he was married in Renville county to Anna Gaffney a native of New York State, who died in 1881. Eight children were born to bless this union of whom seven are living: J. H., of Silverton, Ore .; G. C., of Excelsior, Minn .; Henry C., of Delhi, Minn .; Lena, now Mrs. E. Pomery, of Kalispell, Mont .; Emma, now Mrs. T. D. O'Neil, also of Kalispell, Mont .; Anna, now Mrs. Martin Kohls, of Omemee, N. D .; Frank, of Hancroft, B. C. The one deceased is Sophia, who was the eldest of the family. Henry C. Engeman completed his education in the schools of Renville county and in 1895 came to Redwood Falls, where he farmed for two years. He then moved to Delhi and became the manager of the Great Western Elevator, which position he held for six years. July 30, 1903, the Farmers Grain and Fuel Company was organized and he became a stockholder in it and also its manager. The company started out with a capital of $10,000. There were eighteen incor- porators, all leading men of Delhi and vicinity. Under the wise and efficient management of Mr. Engeman the company has grown and prospered and shows promise of great prosperity in the fu- ture. In 1912 Mr. Engeman entered into partnership with Mr. F. G. Tibbetts in the farm implement business, under the firm name of Tibbetts & Engeman. The firm is doing a large business in the community and neighboring country. In politics Mr. En- geman is a staunch Democrat and has held office in the village of Delhi, having been clerk of the village council four years and trustee of the council for four years. He is affiliated with Lodge No. 64, I. O. O. F. at Redwood Falls, and he and his family are all devout members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Engeman was married in April, 1898, to Nellie Steel, who was born Novem- ber 12, 1879, in Canada, daughter of Robert and Jane (Wilson) Steel. Her father was a farmer, born in Scotland, who came to Minnesota and settled in Redwood county in 1888 and died in 1913. Her mother is still living and resides at Chisholm, Minn. They were the parents of eight children, all living at home. Mr. and Mrs. Engeman have five children: Robert, Erwin, Gerald, Clifford and Leonard.
Clifton E. Reynolds, manager of the Lamberton Block and Tile Company, was born April 27, 1859, at Decorah, Iowa, son of
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Johnathan T. and Caroline (Knowlton) Reynolds. The father, born in New York State, died July 7, 1896, at St. Paul, where he had been engaged in the coal, feed and street sprinkling business. The faithful mother died in 1873 at Decorah, Iowa. There were five children in the family : Constantine, Clifton, Carrie M. (now Mrs. Marion A. Mace), Herbert N. and Arthur. Clifton E. Rey. nolds finished his education in the common school and learned the trades of plasterer and bricklayer at St. Paul, to which place his father had moved some years before. In 1892 he moved to Red- wood Falls and later to Belview. In 1895 he came to Lamberton and was engaged in the contracting business here until 1913, when he took his present position as manager of the. Lamberton Block and Tile Company, in which company he is also shareholder. He is independent in politics and fraternally is associated with the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Reynolds was married, May 26, 1888, to Amelia Hass, who was born at Kiel, Germany, September 28, 1863, daugh- ter of Phillip and Antje (Arp) Hass. Her father is now living in the Island of Laalland, Denmark, he and his family having moved from Kiel, Germany, to Denmark in 1864. He was general man- ager of a very large grain and stock farm for over forty years. His wife, mother of Mrs. Reynolds, died in Denmark, January 17, 1910. Their daughter Amelia was the only member of the family to come to America, which she did in 1886. She has in Denmark two brothers and one sister-Edward, Frederick and Emma. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds have one child, Phillip C., who was born Octo- ber 5, 1890, at St. Paul, Minn. He was graduated from the Lam- berton high school in 1909 and from Hamline University in 1913. He is now special agent at the State Labor Bureau and is also studying law at the St. Paul College of Law.
Jens B. Hansen, a farmer of Morgan township, was born in Denmark, January 5, 1860, son of Hans Oleson and Anna Christine Jensen. The father, a worker in wooden ware, and also the owner of a small farm in Denmark, died in 1884 at the age of seventy-five years, and his wife died in 1914 at the age of eighty-one years. They had two children, Nels and Jens B. Nels is still living in Denmark, following the trade of his father. Jens B. Hansen, after completing his schooling, also took up his father's trade. In 1892 he came to America with his wife and three children and located in Morgan township, Redwood county, Minnesota, on some wild prairie land which he used for grazing. Here he built a small frame house, 14 by 16, and a barn. He had three horses and bought three cows. One of the latter he sold in order to get feed for his horses and another he killed for his own use. He also had some chickens. The nearest milling place was Golden Gate. After living here with his family for eight and a half years, Mr. Hansen rented another farm for one year. In 1900 he bought 120 acres of
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his present farm, to which he has since added 40 acres more. By hard work and thrift he has improved and developed the place and become a very successful farmer. He is also interested in the Farmers Elevator, of Morgan, and in the Farmers Creamery. Re- ligiously he is connected with the Danish Lutheran church. When he first came to this county the nearest church of this denomina- tion was the "Fredsmindee Danish Lutheran Church" of Brook- ville township, eleven miles away, to which he used to drive with his family on Sunday in a rude box sled which he had constructed. In 1904 the Betania Danish Lutheran church was built in Morgan township and the Hansons have attended this church ever since. Mr. Hanson was one of the organizers of it and a member of the building committee. He was also its first president, and, with the exception of one year, has held that position ever since. His wife has been very active in the Sunday school work, the Sunday school having been started the year before the church was built, and held in the schoolhouse, and she was both the first teacher and the first superintendent. Mr. Hansen was married in Denmark, July 26, 1884, to Mary Christina Johansen, who was born in Denmark, October 25, 1861, daughter of John Nelson and his wife, Carrie Oleson, the parents being farmers. The mother died in Denmark and the father, with the children-Stena, Hannah, Lars Peter, Lena and Mary Christina-came to America in 1890 and located at Albert Lea, Minn., where he engaged in farming. He came to Redwood county in 1894 and located in Morgan township where he now lives. The family faith is that of the Danish Lu- theran church. Mr. and Mrs. Hansen have had five children : Alfred, Walter and Olga, born in Denmark, and Anna and Victor, born in Morgan township, Redwood county, Minnesota. Alfred, whose birth date was May 9, 1885, and who resides in Morgan township, married Minnie Hensen and has one child, Ruth. Wal- ter was born June 26, 1886. Olga, born September 1, 1889, mar- ried Harry Shoemaker. Anna was born February 3, 1893, and Victor, January 25, 1896.
Simon E. Rekedal a substantial farmer of Granite Rock town- ship, was born in Norway, August 28, 1873, and was there reared. In 1892 he came to America, and after living a few months in Echo, this state, secured employment as a farm assistant in Red- wood county. Four years later, in 1896, he bought 80 acres in section 5, Granite Rock township. In 1901 he secured 160 acres more in section 6. To the development of this farm he has since devoted his attention. He planted a grove, set out a good orchard of apple, plum and cherry trees, and a good-sized berry patch, and brought the farm to a high degree of improvement. His home originally built in 1903 was rebuilt and remodeled in 1913. His roomy barn, erected in 1905, was struck by lightning and de- stroyed in 1907, but undaunted by this disaster he built his present
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barn, a large structure with a full cement basement, in 1914. Mr. Rekedal was married March 21, 1903, to Hilda Dahl, born July 31, 1881, in Norway, and this union has been blessed with seven children : Bertha, born January 11, 1904; Melvin, born September 29, 1905; Elias, born December 31, 1907; Helen, born April 29, 1910; Ella, born October 27, 1912; Ruth, born May 29, 1915, died June 18, 1915, and Ralph, born May 11, 1916. Simon E. Rekedal is the oldest son of Elias and Bertha (Riise) Rekedal, who still live in Norway, the other children in the family being Christian, Ellen, Martin, John, Albert and Peter. Mrs. Simon E. Rekedal is the daughter of Martin and Hannah Dahl. Martin Dahl was born in Norway May 30, 1855, came to America in 1884, worked in Sacred Heart, Renville county, this state, until 1891, and then purchased 120 acres of land in Vesta township, this county. He and his good wife had eight children : Hilda, Magnus, Sina, Carl, Benjamin, Minnie, Helen and Mabel.
Frank W. Hoepner, a successful farmer of Delhi township, was born in Germany, December 20, 1879, son of Gottfried and Minnie (Fredrick) Hoepner. He came to America with his parents in 1884, settling in New Ulm, Brown county, Minnesota. In 1887 they moved to Fairfax, Renville county, and in 1891 to North Redwood, Redwood county, locating in Honner township. The mother died June 3, 1899, and is buried in the cemetery at Red- wood Falls. There were five children in the family: Frank W., Fred, Charles, Emma and Louis, all of whom are now living in Redwood county. It is worthy of note that within twenty- five years after he came to America, Gottfried Hoepner owned over 700 acres of land. Frank W. Hoepner, after completing his school studies at North Redwood, took a course in the Minnesota Business College at New Ulm in 1902. He then farmed with his father until 1909, later bought 160 acres of land in section 24, and still later 40 acres more in section 13, Delhi township. His father's farm in Honner township is part of the ground used by General Sibley for an army camp during the Indian outbreak in 1862, and Mr. Hoepner has many souvenirs of arrow heads, beads and other articles which were found on these grounds. There were one or two small buildings on the Delhi farm, including the house, when Mr. Hoepner bought it from his father and he has since erected necessary buildings and done considerable fencing. He raises some grain, having fifty-five acres of wheat, 40 acres of corn, 45 acres of oats and five acres of barley. He keeps six Holstein cows for dairy purposes and raises Poland China swine, Percheron horses, feed- ing about fifty steers for the market every year. In 1907 he began to give special attention to the chicken business and now has pens of full-blooded chickens of White Leghorn, White Wyandottes, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Brown Leghorns, Black Minorcas, Barred Plymouth Rock, White Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island
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