USA > Minnesota > Redwood County > The History of Redwood County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 45
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JULIUS JACOBSON AND FAMILY
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of stock raising. Active in township and school affairs, he has been town assessor and a member of the school board. A thor- ough believer in co-operative effort, he has become a stockholder in the Brookville creamery. He is a solid, substantial citizen, and is well regarded throughout the community. Mr. Jacobsen mar- ried Carrie Neilson, also a native of Norway, and they have seven children : William, Emil, Hans, Albert, Ida and two who died in infancy. The family faith is that of the Danish Lutheran church.
George W. Whittet, Jr., a progressive and up-to-date farmer of Delhi township, was born in that township November 1, 1879, son of Geo. W., Sr., and Annabel (King) Whittet. He remained at home until twenty-one years of age, when he engaged in farming for himself, living at home until his marriage. Buying 100 acres in section 5, Redwood township, in 1900, he farmed it until 1904, in which year he sold it and bought 120 acres in section 33, Delhi township, where he now lives. Mr. Whittet has a nicely improved farm with an acre of fruit, and carries on diversified farming. In the spring of 1915 he erected a comfortable two-story seven-room house, which stands near the state road on a slight eminence, and affords a fine view of the surrounding country. Mr. Whittet is associated fraternally with the I. O. O. F. and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was married May 30, 1905, to Bessie Bauer, who was born November 20, 1886, and died Novem- ber 29, 1911. Two children were born of this marriage, Bernice, August 7, 1906, and Bessie, November 22, 1911. Mr. Whittet was married, secondly, July 2, 1913, to Rena Alexander, who was born August 16, 1879, daughter of David and Katy Alexander. Her father was a retired farmer who came from Canada in 1875. Her mother died at the age of fifty-seven years.
John E. L. Lund, an enterprising young farmer of Johnsonville township, was born in Gales township, Redwood county, May 4, 1888. His father, Charles Lund, was a native of Sweden and came to America when quite young, locating in Carver county, Minne- sota, where he worked as a farm hand for a short time. In the early seventies he came to Redwood county, where he homesteaded 160 acres in section 34, Johnsonville township. It was all raw prairie land. He has improved this land and in 1915 retired to Walnut Grove. He was married to Lotta Swanson, born in Sweden. They had the following children: Esther, now Mrs. Gus. Nicolayson, of Revere, Minnesota; Laura, widow of Nels E. Pierson, of Tracy, Minn .; Hannah, Mrs. Otto Dahlgren, of Walnut Grove; Anna, Mrs. Albert Dahlgren, of Gales township; John E., subject of this sketch; Minnie, Hattie and Arthur. John E. L. Lund received his education at the common school and took a short course at the agricultural department of the University of Minnesota during 1906 and 1907. In 1912 he took a.course at the
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Mankato Commercial College. In 1912 he became assistant cashier of the Walnut Grove State Bank. In 1914 he left that position and took charge of his father's farm. He raises grains, Shorthorn cattle, Duroc Jersey swine, marketing about fifty or sixty every year, and also raises good grade of Percheron horses. In politics he is a Republican and has held office as school clerk of district No. 19. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge of Walnut Grove. Mr. Lund was united in marriage September 4, 1912, to Susie A. Lyman, born November 7, 1893, in Redwood Falls, Minn., daughter of E. A. and Blanche (French) Lyman. Mr. and Mrs. Lund have had one child, Dorothy, born July 9, 1913, and died March 23, 1915.
Berten E. Rollins, a well known produce dealer in Lamberton, was born in Wabasha county, Minnesota, son of Jeremiah and Charlotte (Garrison) Rollins, the parents being natives of New York and Indiana, respectively. The father, who was a veteran of the Civil war, came to Minnesota in 1868 and engaged in farm- ing, also carrying on business as a building contractor. Moving, in 1880, to Redwood Falls, he there followed his trade until 1892, when he bought a farm in Murray county, and moved to Slayton, where he lived until 1901, in which year he went to Elk River, Minn., and bought a farm in Sherburne county, also a house in Elk River, where he and his wife now reside. Berten E. Rollins fin- ished his schooling at Redwod Falls and at the age of twenty became telegraph operator for the Chicago & Northwestern Rail- way Co. at Sanborn, where he remained for three years. He then worked as an extra at New Ulm for a while, after which for six years he was operator and cashier at Marshall. From there he went to Porter, Minn., as agent for the Northwestern Railroad, occupying that position for three years. The next seven years of his life were spent as agent at Lamberton. In March, 1915, Mr. Rollins gave up railroad work and established the B. E. Rollins Company of Lamberton, dealers in all kinds of produce. He has already built up a thriving business with good prospects for the future. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Masonic order, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree, and in the Blue Lodge, of which he has been Master; the Knights of Pythias, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Eastern Star, of which he is Worthy Patron. Mr. Rollins was married, September 1, 1897, to Bertha Armstrong, who was born September 28, 1880, at North Freedon, Wis., daughter of Charles and Adelia (Schellenburger) Armstrong. Her father was a merchant in Sanborn, having settled there in 1882. After conducting business there for a number of years, he moved in 1902 to Comfrey, Minn., and engaged in gen- eral mercantile business there. Mr. and Mrs. Rollins have two children: Irene, born April 29, 1899, and Iona, born March 8, 1901. The family faith is that of the Presbyterian church.
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THEFIRST FRAME BUILDING IN REDWOOD
FALLS 1866
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Joseph W. Dysart, a merchant of Milroy, was born February 16, 1857, in Altona, Pa., son of Wilson and Francis (Wallace) Dysart. Wilson Dysart, father of our subject, was born November 27, 1829, in Pennsylvania, where he grew to manhood and engaged in farming. In 1857 he went to Illinois, purchasing 160 acres of government land in Lee county. He improved the land and made additions until he owned 640 acres. He divided this into three farms and erected suitable buildings on each. In the spring of 1899 he retired to Nachusa, Ill., where he died in August, 1902. His wife was born in Pennsylvania in 1834 and now lives in Dixon, Ill. Their children were: Warren P., born May 9, 1854; a mail carrier at Luverne, Minn .; Joseph W., born February 16, 1857; Annie, born in 1859, wife of C. Crawford, a farmer of Illinois, and died in 1880; Ernest S., residing on one of the home farms; Edith, wife of H. Countryman, a farmer of Nebraska ; Marion Lee, of Dixon, Ill .; Fannie, now Mrs. John Herbst, of Dixon, Ill .; and Edward E., of Dixon, Ill. Joseph W. attended the common school of his neighborhood and took a course in business in the business school at Mt. Vernon, Iowa. In 1879 he entered the grain business at Nachusa with Israel Slouthower and Capt. John Dysart, his ยท uncle. After a year he bought an interest in a general store with Lawrence McGuire at Nachusa which was conducted for six years under the firm name of McGuire and Dysart. In 1886 he sold and moved to Hancock county, Iowa, where his father owned 640 acres. The farm was improved with good buildings and he raised and shipped about three carloads of cattle and one hundred head of swine per year. Later he devoted his attention to the raising of corn. He lived there fourteen years. After the death of his father the estate was sold. In 1902 he came to Redwood county, where he bought 320 acres improved land in section 30, Westline township. In 1912 he sold this and moved to Milroy, where he bought the hardware and implement business of L. H. Powell. In March, 1914, he sold the hardware business to Chas. C. Seemans and now conducts the implement business. Mr. Dysart was mar- ried February 12, 1889, to Anna Slothower, born in 1871, in Wis- consin, daughter of Israel and Jennie (Stover) Slothower. Israel Slothower was born in 1836 in Pennsylvania, where he engaged in farming and blacksmithing. He later came to Illinois and was a grain and stock buyer at Dixon. He died in 1900. His wife was born in 1843, in Pennsylvania and now lives at Dixon, Ill. Their children were: Anna; Lauretta, principal of graded schools at Dixon, Ill .; Carrie, teacher at Dixon, Ill .; Lula, clerk at a depart- ment store, Dixon, Ill., and George, connected with a moving pic- ture company at Dixon, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Dysart have the fol- lowing children : Harvey W., born May 9, 1893, and died August 30, 1910; Scott W., born July 14, 1895, now in business with J. W.
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Dysart, and Doris, born February 25, 1899, now living with her parents.
Andrew P. Rans, manager of the Wanda Elevator Company, was born March 17, 1892, at Springfield, Minn., son of Paul and Lena (Holly) Rans. When he was about two years old his parents secured a homestead of 160 acres of wild land in section 22, Sun- down township, Redwood county, where they began farming with an ox team. This farm has been improved and brought to a high state of cultivation and is now under the management of Andrew P. Rans and is known as the Clover Bloom Farm. He still has in his possession the old yoke which his father used for his oxen when he began farming. Andrew P. Rans operated the Clements Elevator for two years for the North Star Grain Company and came to Wanda in 1914 and took charge of the Wanda Elevator Company. He is a member of the C. O. F. and also of the Catholic church. Mr. Rans was married May 3, 1915, to Hettie Green of Morgan.
Ole Hjyelter, a carpenter of Seaforth, was born in Norway. Mr. Hjyelter was married March 30, 1910, to Martha Washborn, born May 19, 1889, in North Redwood, Minn., daughter of Morton and Rachel Washborn. Her father was born in Canada and was a farmer and carpenter and came to Redwood county at an early date, and at the time of his death was quite well to do. He died in 1900 and was buried at New Avon Cemetery. Her mother is now living at North Redwood, Minn. There were the following children in the family: Etta, Morton, Martha, David, Arnold, Lawrence and Alvin. Alvin has lived since his early childhood with David B. Ganoe of Sheridan township. Mr. and Mrs. Hjyel- ter have the following children : Mary, born September 18, 1911, and Bertha, born October 15, 1913. The family are members of the Presbyterian church of Seaforth.
Louis C. Mock, a modern farmer of Vesta township, was born in Columbus, Columbia county, Wisconsin, September 29, 1868, son of Fritz and Caroline (Winter) Mock. The father, a native of Germany, came to America in 1869, locating in Columbus, Wis., where he remained until 1887. Then coming to Minnesota, he rented a farm in Yellow Medicine county until 1890. Next he bought 160 acres in Echo township, Yellow Medicine county, where he lived until 1901, after which he made his home with his children until his death, September 5, 1914, at the age of eighty- nine years. His wife died in 1881 at the age of forty-two. There were five children in the family: Louisa, married to Gustav Peterine, a farmer of Yellow Medicine county, who died in 1909 at the age of forty-two; Louis C., subject of this sketch; Albert, a farmer who died in 1913 at the age of forty-two; and two who died in infancy. Louis C. Mock remained at home until he was twenty-six years of age, at which time he bought 92 acres of
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land in section 5, Vesta township, Redwood county, Minnesota. He now owns 226 acres in this township and raises graded Here- ford cattle for the market. In 1915 he built a two-story, eight- room house, 28 by 30 feet, with screen porch, and which is equipped with furnace heat and wired for electric light. Mr. Mock also owns 200 acres in Yellow Medicine county, Minnesota, and 312 acres in Bottineau county, North Dakota, both of which farms are equipped with buildings and both of which he rents out. Mr. Mock married Caroline Kuehn, who was born October 5, 1876, daughter of Christian Kuehn, a farmer of Sibley county, who came from Germany to the United States in or about 1862, and his wife, Caroline (Jacoby) Kuehn. Mr. and Mrs. Mock have six children : Herbert, born May 2, 1902; Ervin, April 14, 1903; Clarence, August 2, 1904; Lola, May 21, 1906; Alvin, December 21, 1909, and Arthur, September 21, 1911. The family are members of the German Lutheran church.
John Zeren, a well-known citizen of Wabasso, was born Octo- ber 16, 1874, in West Newton township, Nicollet county, Minne- sota, son of Peter and Gertrude (Stacken) Zeren. Peter Zeren was born in Brighton township, Kenosha, Wis., in July, 1850, son of Nicholas Zeren, a native of Paris, France, who came to Amer- ica, locating in Kenosha county, Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming, and died in 1854. He was married in France. After his death the widow married John Heck, also a native of France, who came to Wisconsin in 1858 and then came to Nicollet county, Minnesota, where he took up a homestead of 160 acres in Brighton township. In 1860 he sold his claim for $150.00 and returned to Wisconsin. In 1861 he returned to Nicollet county, Minn., and bought 120 acres in Brighton township. At the time of the Indian uprising in 1862 the family took their livestock and went to St. Peter to avoid the Indians. On returning to the farm they found their house safe but the barn and wheat stacks had been burned. Peter, the father of John, worked on the home farm during the summers and in the winter was employed in the pin- eries in Michigan. In 1871 he came to Minnesota and bought 80 acres in West Newton township, Nicollet county. Here he re- mained until 1885, when he sold and moved to Chaska, Carver county, this state. He was a carpenter contractor there for twelve years and then moved to Renville county, where he rented a farm in Cairo township. He moved to Fairfax, where he died. He was married in 1871 to Gertrude Stacken, born in 1851 in Prussia, Germany, who is still living in Fairfax. Her father, Cornelius Stacken, was born in 1813 and came to America in 1867, locating in Lake township, Carver county, Minnesota, where he bought 140 acres of land. In 1896 he returned to Granby township, Nicollet county. He died in 1898. His wife, Katherine (Rademacher) Stacken, was born in 1815 and died in 1895. Mr.
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and Mrs. Peter Zeren had the following children: John, Cor- nelius, of Wabasso; Margeretha, who died in 1899; Philip, a farmer in North Dakota; Mary, Mrs. Chas. Johanneck, of Red- wood Falls; William, of Fairfax; Elizabeth, of Fairfax ; Gertrude, of Fairfax; Katherine, Mrs. E. G. Weldon, of Wabasso, and George, of Fairfax. John Zeren remained at home until twenty- one years of age, when he entered the harness business of Mahovel & Ness at Fairfax. After two years he went to Wabasso and fol- lowed the harness trade there until 1903, when he engaged in the harness and shoe business for himself. He was a member of the village council for nine years and is a director of the Wabasso Building & Loan Association and a stockholder in the Citizens Bank of Wabasso. Mr. Zeren was married June 26, 1900, to Barbara Sons, born in 1877 in Brighton township, Nicollet county, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Nicholas and Susana (Schaefer) Sons, both natives of Prussia, Germany. Nicholas Sons came to America in 1860. He was one of the old Civil war veterans and died in 1880. His wife was born in 1830 and died in 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Zeren have the following children : Leona, Raymond, Mildred, Werner and Winefred.
Dennis L. Hitchcock, M. D., pioneer physician, was born in Forkston, Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, Dec. 7, 1827, son of Hiram and Lucia (Burgess) Hitchcock. He passed through the schools of his neighborhood, read medicine under a proficient physician and surgeon there, and further studied in the medical department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Upon coming to Minnesota, he located in Faribault, practiced there for a while, and at the same time located a claim near Warsaw in the same county. In the fall of 1857 he went to Waterville, of which town he was one of the proprietors. While there he made an extensive trip to the West. He came to Redwood Falls, bring- ing his family, in the spring of 1865, started the practice of his profession here, and at once became one of the leading citizens of the community. A few years later he established the drug store which is now conducted by his son. In the upbuilding of Redwood Falls, Dr. Hitchcock took a prominent part, and his name will continue to be honored as long as the story of the county continues to be told. His death, Dec. 31, 1884, has not yet ceased to be mourned. Among many other things which Dr. Hitchcock did for the city was the planting of a number of trees, the forerunners of the stately trees which now add so greatly to the beauty of the city he helped to establish. Dr. Hitchcock was married in the fall of 1857 to Pamela, born in Nova Scotia, daughter of James and Eunice (Jenks) Davison. The Davison and Jenks families were early colonists in Rhode Island. From there they went to Nova Scotia. In the early forties, James Davison brought his family from Nova Scotia to Maine, and
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H. M. HITCHCOCK AND MRS. P. D. HITCHCOCK
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later to Indiana. In 1849 he settled six miles east of Waterville, in this state. His daughter, now Mrs. Hitchcock, was the first schoolteacher in Waterville, and also assisted in the first school in Faribault. Dr. and Mrs. Hitchcock had eight children, of whom seven grew to adult years: Hiram Melville, Helen, Eliza- beth, Sarah J., Harriet M., Julius R. and Agnes G. Mrs. Hitch- cock still makes her home in Redwood Falls, surrounded by the love and care of her family, and the profound respect of the entire community.
Hiram Melville Hitchcock, optometrist and pharmacist, and leading citizen of Redwood Falls, was born in Waterville, this state, Sept. 14, 1859, son of Dr. Dennis L. and Pamela (Davison) Hitchcock. He came to Redwood Falls with his parents in the spring of 1865, and as a boy passed through all the experiences of pioneer life in Redwood Falls. He attended the pioneer schools, remaining in attendance until high school studies were established, worked in the drug store with his father, and as a young man assumed the management of the establishment, at the head of which he has since remained. In 1893 he graduated from the Chi- cago Ophthalmic College, and has since been one of the leading optometrists in western Minnesota.
For several years he was president of the Minnesota State As- sociation of Optometrists, and in this society also held several other official positions. When the State Board of Examiners in Optometry, the first board of its kind in the United States, was established, he was one of its first members. He has been several times reappointed, and was for several years president of the board. He has also been vice president of the Scientific Sec- tion of the American Optical Association. He was for several years secretary of the school board, and is likewise president and prominent member of the library board, and an active member of the park board of this city. The purchase and improvement of the Ramsey State Park is due in a large degree to his generous efforts, and he will live in history as the father of the park project. With unbounded enthusiasm, and with tireless energy, he advocated the project at its inception, he has watched over its progress month by month, and is now advocating a still further extension of the park system. In the Methodist Episcopal church he has been a member of the official board. The history of the early days has been his especial hobby. He took an interest in the moving of the McPhail cabin to the park, and his researches have preserved the story of the cabin, and the tale of the first settle- ment of Redwood Falls for all future generations. June 1, 1881, Mr. Hitchcock was married to Regina Stegner, born March 16, 1861, daughter of Conrad and Mary Stegner, pioneers of Dakota county, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Hitchcock have the following children : Gretchen, wife of W. B. Clement, one of Redwood Falls'
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leading citizens; Eva R., wife of Ralph Towne, a school superin- tendent; Alice L., wife of Andrew J. Olson, an agricultural teach- er; Paul M., of Houston, Texas; William, who died in 1911 at the age of thirteen; Dorothy, who died in 1914 at the age of thirteen; and Hazel, at home.
S. G. Peterson, prominent citizen, journalist, merchant and real estate dealer, was born in Denmark, July 3, 1867, son of George and Sinnie Peterson. George Peterson came to America in 1869 and located at Chicago, where he engaged in contracting until his death in 1892 at the age of forty-seven, his wife having been drowned at sea in 1871. S. G. Peterson started out for him- self as a young man and conducted a book and stationery store at Hutchinson, this state, for two years. During the next seven years he conducted a dry goods store at Hutchinson for Brown Brothers of St. Paul. In 1895 he bought the Hutchinson "Demo- crat" and changed it to the Hutchinson "Independent" and also started the Lester Prairie "Journal" at the same time. Soon he sold these and bought the Glencoe "Register," one of the oldest papers in the state. In 1899 he sold this and came to Redwood Falls, where he bought a general merchandise store and operated it until 1905. Then he bought the Redwood "Reveille," which he published for three years and then became owner of the Echo "Enterprise" for the next five years. He owned the Granite Falls "Journal" one year. He was in the cloak and suit business for quite a period, and conducted a store in the building of Cooper & Gold. He also engaged in the real estate business with the Gopher State Realty Company, dealing in both foreign and home lands. He has served as a member of the city council one term and has been a member of the park board since 1907 and is treasurer of same. He has been president of the school board for three years. Fraternally he is affiliated with the K. P. and the A. O. U. W. He is a member of the State Horticultural society and of the Min- nesota Editorial Association, having belonged to the latter since 1894. In the Chatauqua association he has been one of the vital factors. Mr. Peterson was married September 2, 1895, to Christine S. Christianson, and they have three children: Maude E., a grad- uate of Albert Lea College, Albert Lea, Minn., in 1913, a teacher of music and a student at Oberlin college; Harold, a student at Valparaiso, Ind., and Pauline. The family worship at the Metho- dist Episcopal church where Mr. Peterson is steward. He has also been first vice president of the State Epworth League for five years and District President of same for five years. He is a Sunday school teacher and chorister.
Senius Jensen, a farmer of Sundown township, was born in Denmark, August 13, 1871, son of Nels Jensen, who died in Den- mark at the age of seventy, and his wife, Hannah (Christensen) Jensen, who died in 1874. Senius came to the United States in
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1888 and landed in Baltimore. When he reached Chicago he had just 75 cents. He remained one day and then came to Springfield, Minn., with 52 cents left and nothing to eat but part of a loaf of bread. He went to work herding cattle, having charge of 500, working for $6 per month for eleven months, and then attended school for about two months. Besides his schooling in America he had two terms of school in Denmark. In 1896 he bought two oxen and engaged in farming. He was unsuccessful in this ven- ture and lost all he had. He made another attempt, renting 160 acres of land, and succeeded in raising good crops. Then he went to Brookville township, Redwood County, and farmed four years. He next bought 160 acres in Chippewa County and after two years came to Redwood County and bought 160 acres in Section 8, Sun- down township. There was a small house and barn on the place. In 1913 he built a new eight-room house and in 1911 a barn, 28x40, with a sixteen-foot lean-to. He raises good stock and does gen- eral farming. He has served as a member of the school board for seven years. He is a shareholder in the Wanda Creamery .. Mr. Jensen was married November 6, 1896, to Rakka Petersen, daugh- ter of Chris Petersen. She was born March 10, 1879. Mr. and Mrs. Jensen have eleven children: Inez, Henry, Viola, Alvin, Hazel, Anton, Arnold, Raymond, Ellis, Orvald and Cleo. The fam- ily are members of the Scandinavian Lutheran church.
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