USA > Minnesota > Mower County > The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated > Part 64
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Knute A. Allrick was born in Mower county in 1867, son of Andrew and Sarah Allrick, the pioneers. He received his educa- tion in the schools of Adams and remained at home with his father assisting on the farm. From the time he was twenty-four until reaching his thirtieth year, he worked regularly for his father and at the end of that period purchased the eighty acres where he now makes his home. This, at the time of purchase,
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was wild land, but he set about breaking and improving it and now has an excellent farm, having erected a full complement of buildings and purchased an adequate amount of tools, imple- ments and machinery. He raises some general crops, but turns much of his attention to grain and makes a specialty of Shorthorn cattle. Mr. Allrick is a Republican in politics and is now serving as road overseer. He attends the Lutheran church and belongs to the Modern Woodmen. The subject of this sketch was married in 1897 to Susie Anderson, daughter of Andrew Anderson. Mrs. Allrick was born in Norway, came to this country in 1892, and lived for a time in Fillmore county before coming to this county.
Andrew Anderson, of Marshall township, was born in Sweden in 1850, son of Andrew Larson, and came to the United States in 1880. On arrival in this country he went to Chicago and worked three years in the Pullman ear shops. Then he came to Mower county and rented land. He is now in charge of the M. Flemming farm in section 29, where he tills 240 aeres and engages in general farming on an extensive seale. In 1880 he married Annie Charlotte, a native of Sweden, and to this union has been born three children : Hilda, Arthur and Carl, all of whom are at home. Mr. Anderson is a Republican in politics, and affiliates with the Swedish Lutheran church.
Theadore Austenson is a Mower county product, having been born on the farm where he now lives, in section 24, Lyle town- ship, August 30, 1879, son of Gunder and Helga (Emmonson) Austenson. He received his education in the district schools and then took up farming with his father until 1905, when he rented the home farm, now carrying on general farming and making a specialty of fine poultry breeding, his pride being barred Rocks, with which breed he has won many prizes at county and state fairs, having attained some prominence as a poultry fancier. He is a member of the Austin and Mower County Poultry Associa- tion. Mr. Austenson is single, a Republican in polities and a member of the Lutheran church.
Gunder Austenson was born in Norway, April 30, 1841, and there received his education, growing to manhood, and remain- ing until 1867, when he came to America, loeating first in Nevada township, Mower county, for a few years, and later purchasing eighty acres of land in Lyle township, this county, section 24. He broke this wild land, improved it, erected buildings, and developed it into a fine place. Here he carried on general farm- ing until 1905, when he rented his farm to his son, Theadore, who now conducts it. He still remains on the place, he and his wife making their home with their son. Mr. Austenson was married in Norway to Helga Amundson, December 26, 1865, and to this union were born nine children. The living are: Julia,
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now Mrs. R. W. Olin, wife of a merchant at Sioux City, Iowa ; Theadore, on the home farm, and Mollie, who also lives at home. Mr. Austenson is a good citizen, a Republican in politics and a member of the Lutheran church.
Welcome Chandler, a pioneer, settled in Austin in 1857. He was a native of the Green Mountain state, born in the town of London, January 11, 1807. When he was but twelve years of age his parents emigrated to Canada and settled at Raughmont, Prov- ince of Quebec, where he grew to manhood. When he was twenty years of age he left home and settled in Shepard county, Prov- ince of Quebec, and was one of the first settlers in the town of Milton, where he purchased government land, from which he cleared the heavy timber, and where he resided until 1857, when he sold out, and with his family joined his son, David L., in Mower county, Minnesota. He purchased land in section 32, Austin township, and improved a farm of eighty aeres, adding to this traet and continuing general farming until his death, December 15, 1880. His wife, Amy Phelps, whom he married in Canada, but who was born in Vermont, died May 12, 1883.
George Chandler, a sueeessful farmer of Austin township, was born in Shepard county, Quebec, Canada, June 28, 1845, son of Welcome and Amy (Phelps) Chandler, the pioneers. He was brought to Mower county by his parents at the age of twelve years, here attended school, grew to manhood and assisted his father on the farm. In 1873 he made a trip to California and then to Oregon, spending five months, after which he returned to Mower county and accepted a clerkship in Austin. In 1878 he engaged in the grocery trade for a short time, but sold out and resumed farming. He bought ninety-one aeres and took eighty acres of railroad land in section 21, Austin township, and broke it and improved it. Mr. Chandler has been town clerk for fifteen years and votes independently. Being an earnest church worker he has been elosely identified with the growth of the Methodist faith in this loeality. Ile has been a steward and trustee, class leader, Bible class teacher and Sunday school superintendent, and contributes liberally of time and money to the Christian cause. Ile is a stockholder in the Tri-State Telephone Company and in the Northwestern Portland Cement Company, of Mason City, Iowa. The subject of this sketch was married June 4, 1878, to Florence Amelia Brown, and to this union have been born three children : Mabel F., Edith B. and G. Ernest.
R. A. Carll, successful farmer of Udolpho, was born in Lyons, Wayne county, New York, December 4, 1845, son of Benjamin and Martha (Hamlin) Carll, both natives of New London, Maine. R. A. came west with his parents in 1863, was reared in Lansing village and Udolpho township, and after three years in Minne-
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apolis, returned to Udolpho and has since managed and conducted the home place, in sections 26 and 27. Mr. Carll has taken an active interest in township affairs, has been town clerk, and is at the present time town supervisor. He is one of the stock- holders in the Lansing Cooperative Creamery. For many years past he has been a member of Lansing Lodge, No. 72, A. F. & A. M., and of the St. Bernard Commandery, No. 13, R. A. M. Mr. Carll married Ella F. Littlefield, daughter of Aurin G. and Jemina (White) Littlefield. Aurin G. Littlefield was a native of Maine. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in the First Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and served nearly three years, being killed on the battlefield of Chickamauga, in 1863. Ilis wife, Jemina White, died in 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Carll have two chil- dren, Earl A. and Evered. Earl married Lettie Vaughn. Evered married Celia Teigen and they have one child, Malcolm A.
Benjamin Carll was born in Maine, and in 1815 was taken to New York state at the age of nine years by his father, also Benjamin by name, making the trip by ox team. The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in New York state, married Martha Hamlin, and in 1863 came to Lansing. After managing a hotel there three years, he moved to Udolpho and purchased the Tim- othy Andrews farm in sections 26 and 27. Benjamin Carll died in 1902 at the age of 95 years and six months.
Benjamin M. Carll, an honored resident of Udolpho township, and courageous veteran of the Civil war, now deceased, was born in Lyons, Wayne county, New York, February 15, 1840. The Civil war broke out when he was a young man, and he enlisted September 10, 1861, in Company C, Eighth New York Cavalry. His service was chiefly in Virginia. He was in the Army of the Potomac and was discharged December 8, 1864. He participated in over fifty engagements. After his discharge he at once returned to New York, and in December of that year came to Mower county, where his parents had preceded him the year before. He was married February 22, 1870, to Mary C. Rhoades, daughter of Orsamus D. and Maria (Hunter) Rhoades, who was born in Chau- tanqua county, New York, in 1847. In the fall of 1873 Mr. Carll moved to a farm which he purchased in section 12, Udolpho township. This farm at the time was wild prairie and Mr. Carll set about improving it, breaking and cultivating the land and erecting suitable buildings. Mr. Carll was a member of Henry Rogers Post, No. 11, G. A. R. He lead a goodly life and passed to his reward November 2, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Carll were the parents of four children : Roy M., Ira O., Fred W. and M. Ethel. Roy married Nora Chandler and they have two daughters, Verna and Nellie. He lives in Mason City, Iowa. Ira died in infancy.
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Fred married Lottie Churchill and they have two sons, Forest and Milo. He resides on the old place. Ethel married Myron Beltz and lives in Mason City, Iowa.
Luman D. Carter, for many years a resident of Lyle township and village, and now a resident of Austin township, has been a prominent man in the county, and has worthily and ably filled county, township and village office. He was born near Montreal, Canada, March 7, 1841, son of John A. and Charlotte (Phelps) Carter, of New England birth, and French and English ancestry. He came to the United States with his parents in 1854, lived in Burlington, Wis., and in September, 1859, at the age of eighteen years came to Austin township. After arriving here he attended the Austin public schools, and lays credit to the claim of being the oldest man living in the county who received his education in Mower county schools. He taught school for a year and then enlisted in Company B, Second Minnesota Cavalry, serving until mustered out, December 24, 1865. During a part of this time he did service on the frontier against the Indians. He was confined for a time in a hospital at Sauk Center as the result of an injury to his foot, caused by a runaway accident. In 1865 he returned to Mower county and took up farming in Lyle township, where he purchased 160 acres. To this tract he added from time to time until he owned 320 acres, following farming in Lyle township, and dividing his place of residence between the township and village until 1891, when he removed to Austin, where he lived nine years. In 1900 he purchased his present home, prettily located on the banks of the Red Cedar river near Varco station. He rents out his land and is enjoying the rest that his many years of hard toil well deserves. Mr. Carter is a Republican in politics. Ile served nearly three years as deputy sheriff of Mower county ; was village recorder of Lyle for one year; mayor of Lyle village one year; justice of the peace in Lyle township several terms and assessor of Lyle village and township for fourteen years. He belongs to the Masonic order and to the G. A. R. The subject of this sketch was married September 23, 1863, to Mary E. Burgess, daughter of Johnathan Burgess, who came to Lyle township in 1861. Mr. and Mrs. Carter have been blessed with seven children: Charles L., Edward F., Carrie, Minnie. Orel L., Nellie M., and Edith. Charles L. is a manufacturer, living in Fort Dodge, Iowa; Edward F. is a telegraph operator in Mojara, Cal .; Carrie is the wife of John J. Ingledrum, a real estate dealer in South Bend., Ind .; Minnie is the wife of Edward DeGraff, a jeweler, of LeRoy, Minn .; Oral L., a former teacher, is the wife of Fred Lewis, a traveling salesman out of Austin: Nellie M. is the wife of John Lewis, of Austin; Edith is the wife of W. J. Tyler, of Coeur d'Alene, the editor of the Journal in
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that place. The family faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Carter has many recollections of the early days in this state. In the spring of 1863, as he often tells with relish, he rented a piece of land in section 27, Austin township, before enlisting in the army. When he left for the frontier he gave his father charge of the matter and requested him to dispose of the wheat which in harvest time was to come to him for the rental of the land. His father had the wheat threshed, and at a cost of thirty cents a bushel hauled to Winona, where it brought but forty eents per bushel. This, Mr. Carter declares, was his last experience at renting land.
John A. Carter was born in Vermont, of French extraction, and went to Canada as a boy. There he married Charlotte Phelps, a native of New Hampshire, of English descent, who was also taken to Canada as a child. They came to the United States in 1854, located in Burlington, Wis., and there remained until the fall of 1859, when they came to Minnesota and located in Austin township, at the place then known as Cedar City. The following spring they moved to section 27, and in 1861 bought forty acres of land in section 29. Later they sold out and took up their resi- dence with their son Dan in Lyle township, John A. passing away in 1898 and his wife in 1892.
Patrick H. Carr, for a decade and a half the justice of the peace in Adams village, is a prominent man in his vicinity and well fitted for the office with which he has been honored by his fellow citizens. He was born in Rutland, Vt., March 8, 1851, son of John and Mary (Stanton) Carr, natives of County Mayo, Ireland. In early youth he learned the carpenters' trade and fol- lowed this at Adams and several other places. In 1883 he was in charge of a large bridge erew for Winston Bros., eonstractors for the Northern Pacific, at Missoula, Mont. He subsequently followed carpentering, contracting and bridge building continu- ously until 1895, when he was elected justice of the peace in the village of Adams. In this capacity he has served continuously, with the exception of one term, since 1895. He is also engaged successfully in the real estate and insurance business. Mr. Carr has been financier of the A. O. U. W. for many years, with much eredit. The subject of this sketeh was married at Anstin, Novem- ber 26, 1875, to Lyda Bodine, of that eity. She died February 21, 1880, at Sumner, Iowa, leaving one son, Benjamin J., born Novem- ber 22, 1876. Benjamin joined the United States army in 1898 and is still in the service. During his service in the Philippines he aeted in the commissary department. Patrick HI. Carr is a Democrat in politics and a Catholie in religion.
John and Mary (Stanton) Carr were born in County Mayo,
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Ireland, and as children came with their parents to Vermont, where they were married and remained until 1852, when they came west to Portage, Wis., where they took up a claim and engaged in farming until 1854, when they removed to Freeport. 111., where the head of the family engaged in teaming until 1858. In that year they went to Winona, and there Mr. Carr continued as a teamster. In 1859 they returned to Freeport and there remained until the summer of 1863, when they went to Minona, lowa. There Mr. Carr engaged in railroad contracting for the C., M. & St. P., reaching Adams in the summer of 1867. Here he engaged in the hotel business, owning also a farm in Adams town- ship. In 1880 he retired. He died in 1900, and his wife is still living at the ripe old age of eighty years. They were the parents of ten children: Patrick H .; Mary, wife of William Burke, of Fort Dodge, Iowa; Margaret, wite of Hon. Samuel Sweningsen, now of Long Beach, Cal .; John W., a merchant in Adams ; James, carpenter and builder, of Adams; Nellie, wife of Charles Gilligan, an extensive farmer of Adams township; Sarah, who lives at home; William, railroad carpenter, of Adams; Vencensia, who married William Dodge, and died November 15, 1909, leaving five children, four of whom are living in Adams with their grand- mother, Mrs. Mary Carr. Michael Carr died in his infancy at Rockford, Ill.
T. F. Cummings, Austin business man, proprietor of the T. F. Cummings bottling works, sole owner and general manager of the Cummings Brush Manufacturing Company, as well as co-part- ner in the Hub bottling works at Mason City, Iowa, was born in Berlin, Wis., October 15, 1865, son of Martin and Bridget (Smith) Cummings. He attended the schools of his neighborhood at Cedar Falls, Iowa, to which place he was taken by his parents in 1870. Later he took a course in the State Normal school at the same place. After leaving school he entered into the grocery business at Allison, Butler county, Iowa, and after a few years embarked in a similar line in Iowa Falls, conducting both stores at the same time. In February, 1894, he came to Austin and engaged in the manufacture and distribution of soda water and soft drinks, making a specialty of carbonated water and the Siloam Springs water. Mr. Cummings is an independent voter, and belongs to the C. O. F., the B. P. O. E. and the U. C. T. He attends the Catholic church. The subject of this sketeh was married in December, 1893, to Maud Hursey, and this union has been blessed with one son, Paul, born August 8, 1896.
Martin Cummings and Bridget Smith, his wife, were natives of Ireland, and came to America as children. For many years they lived in Berlin, Wis., and in 1866 moved with their family to
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Iowa, locating near Cedar Falls. After twenty years they moved to Cedar Falls village, and there both died.
The Cummings Brush Manufacturing Company has been ili operation since August, 1910, and while only a new business, it has ercated a great demand for its manufactured goods. The Cum- mings brushes are on the market in many of our largest cities, handled by jobbers and wholesalers in Cincinnati, New York city, Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis, Des Moines, Kansas City, Omaha, Council Bluffs, Minneapolis, St. Paul, LaCrosse, Dubuque, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, and many other towns and villages. Mr. Cummings has put out a very neat and up-to-date catalogue and his system of putting manufactured goods on the market has proved a success in every line he has undertaken.
Mr. Cummings will add more machinery and increase the capacity to meet the demands for his manufactured goods.
Edward D. Claggett, of Austin, the southern Minnesota and northern Iowa agent for Hamm's Brewing Company, was born in Oshkosh, Wis., March 8, 1863, going to Waupon, Wis., when very young, moving with his family to Brown county, Minnesota, at the age of fourteen years. After attaining manhood's estate he opened a livery at Princeton, Mille Lacs county, this state, and conducted it for ten years. In 1896 he was elected sheriff of that county and held the position eight years, in the meantime serving the city of Princeton as marshal for six years. In the winter of 1905 he moved to St. Paul, served as sergeant-at-arms at the first session of the legislature held in the new capitol, and then went on the road two years for a St. Paul wholesale house. April 20, 1907, he came to Austin and took up the duties of his present position. Hle belongs to the B. P. O. E., the K. of P., and the I. O. O. F., as well as to the Austin Commercial Club and the Austin and Mower County Automobile Club. The subject of this sketch was married in April, 1890, and to this union one daughter, Edna M., was born.
R. A. Carmichael, jailer of Mower county, and deputy sheriff under Nicholas Nicholson, was born in Mercer county, Pennsyl- vania, August 25, 1859, son of John and Eleanor (Fowler) Car- michael, of Scotch and English descent, the former dying in 1881 and the latter in 1859. R. A. received his early education in the public schools and then took a course in the State Normal school at Edinborough, Pa. IIe then started teaching at the age of eighteen years, but two years later, on account of his father's health, and his desire to be with him, he gave up teaching and took a course in the Eastman Business College, at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Then he returned home and took charge of the home farm until April, 1884, after which he went to Schuyler, in Colfax county, Nebraska, and engaged in breeding and selling horses.
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The following year he returned to Pennsylvania and took up work as a carpenter for the Standard Oil Company, at Oil City, Pa. In October, 1886, he came west, worked on a construction crew for the C., M. & St. P. at Austin and Minneapolis two years, and then on construction work for the Soo line from Minneapolis to Sault Ste. Marie for a time. After a short trip east, he again came to Austin in January, 1891, and worked as a carpenter until 1894. Then he was appointed on the police force, and served eight years. January 1, 1905. he assumed his present duties. Mr. Carmichael is a Republican in polities, and belongs to the A. O. U. W. and the Austin Commercial Club. He was married September 16, 1881, to Anna M. McConnell, who died January 5, 1885. One son, J. Dudley, was born July 22, 1882, and died December 26, 1884, both he and his mother succumbing to black diphtheria at Schuy- ler, Neb. Mr. Carmichael was married the second time, January 29, 1891, to Mary E. Adams, of Austin, and this union has resulted in two children : H. Marcella, June 27, 1901, and Mildred E., born October 12, 1902. The family residence is at 108 North Chatham street.
George N. Campbell was born in Frederickton, New Bruns- wiek, May 2, 1841, there received his education and grew to man- hood. At a suitable age he took up the blacksmith trade, thor- oughly mastering that branch of industry. In 1875 he came to Mower county and located at Taopi, where he took up his trade as blacksmith, which he followed until 1897, when he was appointed postmaster, a position he retained until his death, November 21, 1902. Mr. Campbell was a Republican in politics and served as a member of the village council, always taking an active part in the progress and betterment of the village of which he was one of the earliest settlers. He was married October 7, 1891, at LeRoy, this county, to Jane Wright, and to this union was born one daughter, Hazel M., who died March 24, 1902, at seven years of age. Mrs. Campbell was appointed to succeed her husband, and has held the position ever since.
Mrs. Jane Wright Campbell, postmistress at Taopi, was born in Arena, Iowa county, Wisconsin, April 30, 1857, daughter of Thomas and Emma Wright, natives of England, who came to America in 1854, located in Troy, N. Y., and there remained until 1857, when they came to Arena, Wis., where they engaged in farming the balance of their days. Jane Wright received her edu- eation in the public schools of Arena and remained at home with her mother until her marriage on October 7, 1891, at LeRoy, this county, to George N. Campbell. They established their home in Taopi, and since her husband's death Mrs. Campbell has served most efficiently as postmistress, being a thorough business woman
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who has given general satisfaction both to the patrons of the office and to the postoffice department.
Frank D. Cronon, the genial and efficient city clerk of Austin, was born in this city August 25, 1877, son of James and Mary (Kelley) Cronon. He attended the public schools and worked for several years in his father's store, remaining there until the lat- ter's death, after which Frank D. continued the business until 1909, when the business was sold out and he went on the road for Foley Bros. & Kelley, grocers. In 1910 Mr. Cronon was elected to his present office and took up his duties in August. He belongs to the I. C. M. A., the Elks, the Knights of Columbus, the For- esters, and the South Dakota Traveling Men's Association. The subject of this sketch was married to Mary Quinlan, at Harvard, Ill., daughter of John Quinlan, of Lake Geneva, Wis. Mrs. Cronon was born at Elgin, Ill., and this union has been blessed with two children : Francis Warren and Robert Wendall.
James Cronon was born in Saratoga, N. Y., and married Mary Kelley, a native of Richmond, Virginia. He came to Austin in the seventies and opened a cigar and confectionery store, which he conducted until his death, January 12, 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Cronon had four children, Ida, Frank D., Angela and Agnes.
I. B. Christianson, a well-known citizen of Udolpho, in which his parents were among the very earliest settlers, was born in that township October 31, 1876, son of Bennett and Barbro (Inger- bretson) Christianson. He was reared on the home farm, attended the schools of his neighborhood and supplemented this with a course at St. Ansgar, Iowa. Five years ago he purchased his pres- ent farm, erected a home and other buildings, and has since car- ried on general farming. Ever since residing in his present loca- tion he has been a member of the school board, and he is active in the cause of education. He married Betsey Egtvet and they have four children, Leon, Berther, Ruby and Irene. The family faith is that of the Lutheran church.
Bennett Christianson, the Udolpho pioneer, was born in Nor- way, November 11, 1843, and in 1846 came with his parents to Dane County, Wis. In 1855 the family came to Mower county and settled in section 19, Udolpho township. The father of Ben- nett died in 1874. Bennett was married in 1870 to Barbara Inger- bretson, and this union resulted in ten children: Rosa, Mary D., Christian B., Ingerbret, Jane C., Clara B., Lena, Maline, Inga and Bennie. Mr. Christianson served the township in various capacities at different times, including the offices of treasurer and member of the town board.
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