The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated, Part 71

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago : H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.
Number of Pages: 1246

USA > Minnesota > Mower County > The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated > Part 71

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John Lightley was a native of Yorkshire, England, and after coming to this country he married Louise A. Maltby. He located in Buffalo, N. Y., in the twenties, and purchased a small tract of timber land along the lake shore, which he cleared, graded and broke, farming there until 1855, when he brought his family to Beaver Dam, Wis. In 1861 he came to Minnesota, located on a quarter section of land in Oakland township, which. his son John

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had preempted in 1858, and there lived until his death in 1896. His wife died several years before in Oakland.

Abraham S. Lott was one of the pioneers of Mower county, having arrived in Austin in the fall of 1854 with a party of four men, as related at length elsewhere. During the four decades of his residence in this county he watched the county develop and took his share in its progress. His memory, and the example of his life, will long live in this community. The early life of Abra- ham S. Lott was an adventurous one. He was born in Paines- ville, Ohio, July 7, 1832, son of Henry Lott, a native of Pennsyl- vania, who moved from that state to Ohio at the age of eight years. When Abraham was very young his parents returned to Pennsylvania and took up their residence in Jefferson county. There Abraham received his earlier education. When he was fourteen years of age his family went to Missouri, and thence to Polk county, Iowa. In 1850 Abraham left the Missouri river, May 8, with a party bound on an overland trip to the gold fields, arriving in California July 22. It is worthy of note that while on this journey Mr. Lott was one of the four men who killed forty buffalo in one hour. After four years' mining in California, Mr. Lott returned by way of the Isthmus and went directly to Rock county, Wisconsin. That same fall, 1854, he came to Mower county with three others, and took a homestead claim in Austin township. The following spring, 1855, he brought his wife, and here established his home, building a house and developing the land. He added to his place from time to time until he owned 700 acres in this county. He was hard working, conscientious, energetic and well informed, and successfully farmed until old age made his retirement from the active duties of life advisable. He died December 24, 1894. Mr. Lott married Jane C. Beebe, at Union, Roek county, Wisconsin. She was born in Wyoming county, New York, September 5, 1834, daughter of Guy Beebe, who migrated with his family to Wisconsin in 1846. Mr. and Mrs. Lott were blessed with two children: Colbert H., now man- aging the old homestead, and Olive M., now Mrs. Riley Brooks.

Colbert H. Lott, the first boy born in Austin township, first saw the light of day October 10, 1855, on the farm where he still resides, his parents being those grand old pioneers, Abraham S. and Janes C. (Beebe) Lott. Colbert H. attended the district schools and farmed with his father, having had charge of the home place since attaining his majority. He operates about 700 acres of land, and aside from raising large crops, breeds fine Aberdeen-Angus cattle, having a herd of about 125. He also keeps about a hundred hogs, as well as the usual amount of poultry and horses. He is a Democrat in politics, but has consist- ently refused to accept the offices which in the estimation of his

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neighbors, his honored name, his ability and his record entitle him. Being of a helpful nature, he has, however, consented to serve as treasurer of the Rose Creek cemetery for many years, and his interest in the commercial development of the township is shown by the fact that he holds investments in the Inter-State Telephone Company. In other ways he has shown his interest in the county, and has never failed to support movements for the betterment of the community. Colbert H. Lott was married January 20, 1886, to Amelia Ann Goodsell, who has proved a most able helpmeet. This union has been blessed with five chil- dren : Effie J., Cora L., Riley W., Ruth A. and Virginia B. Cora L. married Riley A. Brooks, and they have three children: Arthur A., Audrey L. and Mabel I. Mr. Lott is a high degree Mason.

Jens Larson, mayor of Lyle, is a man of extensive business interests, and is a progressive citizen, always interested in that which tends to the betterment and development of village, town- ship and county. He was born in Norway, June 26, 1873, son of Lars and Tea (Larson) Larson, natives of Norway, now living in Christiana in that country. Jens Larson received his education in the public schools of his native country, and came to America in 1892. He located in Austin, and after working for the C., M. & St. P. for six years, engaged in the retail meat business in the Third ward. A year later he sold out and located in Lyle, con- tinuing in the same line of business. He has been successful, and in addition to his retail trade, manufactures lard and sausage and prepares hams and bacon. He is president of the Gilbert Corru- gated Culvert Company, of Austin, Minn., and Aberdeen, S. D., and is a stockholder in the Lyle Telephone Company. He belongs to the A. F. & A. M., the B. P. O. E. and the M. W. A., votes the Republican tieket, and before assuming his present office three years ago served three years on the village council. Mr. Larson was married June 12, 1900, to Martha Nelson, of Austin. Mrs. Nelson died January 30, 1911.

O. T. Lund, merchant, former president of the village council of Lyle, was born in Norway, September 1, 1848, son of Thor Gunnnelson and Ingborg Jurgenson, his wife, both born near Skien. Thor Gunnuelson was a carpenter and died January 17, 1868, his wife passing away in Lyle, Minn., in 1888. O. T. received his earlier education in Norway, and learned the tailor trade in the city of Skien. April 18, 1868, accompanied by his mother and sister, he left Norway, and upon arriving in America located in Columbia county, Wisconsin. In April, 1869, he went to Chicago, pursued English studies and followed his trade until 1882, when he came to Mower county, located in Lyle, and with his brother- in-law, A. O. Myher, entered into the general merchandise busi- ness by buying out G. F. Hammel. After five years the partners

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divided the stock, and since that date, Mr. Lund has been in business alone. He has served as member and president of the village council of Lyle and has been on the school board some quarter of a century. Aside from his business and a pleasant home on Fourth street, he owns stock in the Lyle Telephone Com- pany. Mr. Lund was married in Chicago in August, 1872, to Emma Olson, who died in Lyle, March 1, 1884. This union was blessed with three children: Ida Rebecca died while a student at the Norwegian Normal school at Sioux Falls, S. D .; Oscar Theadore died at eight years and Matilda Susan at eleven months. Mr. Lund was married at Lyle, August 30, 1886, to Anna Ashley, and this union has been blessed with six children: Ruth (de- ceased), Ruth Juliette, Cora Viola, Alice Bendicka, Thorman, C. O. and Ida Rebecca. The family faith is that of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

Arthur B. Lovell, auctioneer and merchant of Austin, was born in this city, December 6, 1871, son of B. W. and Mary Ann (Sessions) Lovell. He received his early education in the public schools and at the Madison Business College, and in the mean- time obtained considerable experience with his father as a cattle dealer. At a suitable age he started in this business for himself, but later went into the brick business at Lyle. Here he lost all his money, and consequently took up the buying and selling of horses, going to Montana in 1893 and handling western horses three years. Subsequently he handled live stock for Tomlin & Stafford, of Chicago, for a year in Montana and North Dakota, and then engaged in similar work a year for Thuet Brothers, of South St. Paul. At the end of that time he came to Austin and engaged in the live stock business for himself until 1904, in which year he started business as an auctioneer, also jobbing new and second hand commodities of all descriptions. Mr. Lovell served three years in Company G, Second Regiment, Minnesota National Guard. He is a Republican in politics, and affiliates with the I. O. O. F., the M. W. A., and the F. O. E. He was married at Owatonna, March 11, 1891, to Grace M. Brown, of Nevada town- ship, Mower county. Her parents were Ozni C. and Nancy A. Brown, who came to Mower county in an early day. Mr. and Mrs. Lovell have one daughter, Ardith Lillian, born February 12, 1910.

B. W. Lovell, an early live stock dealer of Austin, was born in Vermont and married Mary Ann Sessions, of New York state. He received his early education in the schools of his native state, was admitted to the bar, and was engaged in the successful prac- tice of his profession at St. Louis, Mo., at the outbreak of the Civil war. Then he left his office, went to Michigan, was enlisted in a Michigan regiment. While at Chattanooga he was put at work

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with the rest of his company carrying heavy timbers, and this proved so great a strain that a great tumor appeared on his shoul- der, seriously endangering his health. After the war he came directly west, located in Northwood, Iowa, a short time, and then came to Austin, where he opened a dairy farm, and also engaged in the sale of fruit trees. Later he started dealing in live stock, shipping the first car load ever sent out from this vicinity. In this line he continued, handling on an average of 325 car loads annually. He died in October, 1890, and his wife is still living on the old home place.

Kanute Larson, now deceased, was born in Norway, but spent the greater part of his years in America, arriving in this country in 1866 with his parents. He lived in Decorah, Iowa, two years, and then came to Lansing township and locating on the land in section twenty now owned by J. D. Sheedy, of Austin. Mr. Larson remained on this farm nine years and then moved to the southwest quarter of section sixteen, where he spent the re- mainder of his days, carrying on general farming with consid- erable success. He died April 6, 1909. The subject of this sketch was married to Lena Oakland, a native of Norway, and they were blessed with five children: Jennie, Henry, Ella, Tobias, and Carl. Jennie, who is dead, married L. F. Claussen, and they have two children, Francis and George. Henry mar- ried Mary Matheson and they have three children, Clarence, Polly and Harry. Ella, who is also dead, married William Hen- derson. Tobias married Clarese Nicholsen and they have four boys, Louis, Theodore, Elmer and Norman.

Carl A. is the youngest. He was reared on the farm, and now manages it for his mother. He married Hanna Monson, and to this union one child has been born, Alma L., now four years old. Gunder and Louisa Monson, parents of Mrs. Carl A. Lar- son, live in South Dakota. They are the parents of four children, Harry, Samuel, Hanna and John.

Lee Lewis was born in Kendall county, Illinois, May 27, 1870, son of Lars and Martha (Olson) Lewis. The father, Lars, was born January 18, 1821, and in 1858 came to America and located in Illinois, where he farmed for several years. In the spring of 1885 he came to Windom township, this county, and located on what was known as the Snow farm, five miles east of Austin. Lee Lewis came to Mower county as a lad of fifteen years, and has resided here since. After his marriage he purchased 120 acres in section twenty-eight, where he and his family now re- side, being among the substantial residents of Red Rock town- ship. The subject of this sketch married Alice, the daughter of Marion, born December 18, 1898.

August and Mary (Williams) Milbrad, and they have one child,

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William D. Lockwood, who is engaged with the Colman Lumber Company, in Grand Meadow village, is a descendant of one of the oldest Connecticut families, dating his lineage back to the American founder of the family, who settled in Stamford, Conn., shortly after 1600. William D. was born in Frankford, Mower county, Minnesota, July 10, 1870, son of Henry J. Lock- wood. William D. acquired the usual common school education in Grand Meadow, and worked on the farm until twenty years of age, at which time he spent eight months in Minneapolis. At the age of twenty-six he purchased a farm of his own, in Frank- ford, and worked on this for eleven years, after which he came to Grand Meadow, where he has various interests. He married Nanna M., daughter of C. F. Greening and Clara Caswell, his wife. Four interesting children have blessed this union, Willa M., Franeis J., Harold G. and Ruth H.

Henry J. Lockwood, one of the territorial pioneers of Minne- sota, was born in Otsego county, New York, August 2, 1837, eame to Fillmore county in 1856, and took a land elaim. Later he taught sehool two years, and in 1865 moved to Frankford town- ship, where he purchased 160 aeres of land, of which fifteen aeres were under cultivation. On this farm he raised his family of four children, Hattie, wife of L. W. Hunt; William D., Jay and Henry J., Jr. His wife was Katherine Sharp. The father of Henry J. and grandfather of William D. Loekwood was Charles, born in New Milford, Conn., 1802. His father was Josiah, born in Norwalk, Conn., 1766. His father, Isaae, was born in Nor- walk, Conn., December 24, 1727. The family record states that the family is Welsh and that three brothers eame to America in 1600. Daniel settled in Stamford, Conn. Isaac, father of Isaac, mentioned above, settled in Norwalk, Conn. The third brother was either John or James, who settled at Horseneck, Conn.

H. A. Lewis, a substantial farmer of Lansing township, was born in Westfield, Dodge county, Minnesota, August 2, 1866, son of L. Lewis and Grand Hillson, his wife, natives of Norway, but now well-known residents of Blooming Prairie in Steele county. H. A. was the third of seven children, the family consisting of Louisa, now Mrs. Miek Mickelson; Lewis; Julia, now Mrs. M. J. Kirby ; Emma, now Mrs. Fred Bowman; Theo, William J. and H. A. The subject of this sketch was educated in the sehools of his neighborhood, and has always lived in this vieinity, being now engaged in successfully condueting general farming, with some stoek raising. His first wife, Annie Ulland, died, and lie then married Ida Lund, daughter of Christ. Lund. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis have no children, but have given the loving care of parents to an adopted son, Lee Clifford.

W. H. Lawrence, former merchant, retired, now acting secre-

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tary and manager of the Red Rock Creamery Association at Brownsdale, was born in Buffalo, N. Y., September 10, 1846, son of William and Mary Lawrence. He spent his early life in farm- ing, and in 1875 came west to Brownsdale, where he opened a general store, which he conducted for twenty-six years. His establishment was destroyed in 1900, and Mr. Lawrence did not rebuild, though he is still interested in a number of enterprises. Mr. Lawrenee belongs to Lafayette Lodge, No. 116, A. F. & A. M. Ile married Alice C., daughter of J. B. Graves, a pioncer of Mower county. They are the parents of six children, Fay B., Margaret, Bessie, Celecta, Harry and Incile. Margaret, who married Howard Eagan, is dead. She left four children, Elwin, Harry, Francis (deceased) and Donald.

Ole K. Lestrud, for over a quarter of a century a successful farmer in Mower county, and now a retired citizen living in Grand Meadow village, was born in Norway, July 25, 1849, son of Knut and Tora (Skearn) Lestrud, natives of Norway, where the father died. The mother came to America with her daughter in 1868, located in Dane county, Wisconsin, until 1876, and then came to Mower county, where she died in 1893. Ole received his education in Norway, and came to America in 1867, following lumbering and various occupations in Michigan and Wisconsin until 1875, when he came to Mower county and purchased 160 aeres in Pleasant Valley township. This land he developed and improved, erecting the necessary buildings, and carrying on gen- eral farming until 1904, when he retired, moved to Grand Meadow village, and purchased a house and lot, wherein he now makes his home. Mr. Lestrud has taken an active part in township affairs, has been chairman and member of the township board of Pleasant Valley at various times, and is a stockholder in the First National Bank, of Grand Meadow; the Farmers' Elevator Com- pany, of Grand Meadow, and the Farmers' Co-operative Cream- ery Association, of the same place. He is an independent voter and belongs to the Lutheran church. Mr. Lestrud was married, July 16, 1878. to Martha Nelson, born in Mower county, December 17, 1857, daughter of John and Mary Nelson, pioneers, who in 1855 settled in Racine township, where John Nelson died in 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Lestrud are the parents of three children : Knut, who lives in the old homestead in Pleasant Valley town- ship; Sarah, who is a elerk in South Dakota, and Mary, who teaches in the same state.

Abijah B. M. Lindsley, a venerable resident of the Grand Meadow village, is a pleasant example of kindly old age, ripe in years and wisdom, and possessing that benevolence of spirit and that kindliness of judgment that comes only from a long life well spent. He and his good wife live in a large and comfort-

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able home which he built twenty-nine years ago, and here they are spending the evening of life together. Mr. Lindsley and his wife still enjoy the good things of life, and take an interest in the affairs of the present day. Mr. Lindsley was born in Nelson, Madison county, New York, March 31, 1823, son of David and Jerusha (Merrill) Lindsley, and came west to Ripon, Wis., in 1857. There he lived twenty-four years. In 1881 he came to Grand Meadow, where he and his family have since resided. He married Lucia M. Cutler, daughter of Frasier and Lovisa (Hazel- ton) Cutler, the former of whom was a native of Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Lindsley are the parents of three children: Lesler C. is living, Jennie M. died in 1874 and one died in infancy. Lesler C. married Hattie Cary, daughter of Riley P. and Maria (Grover) Cary. Mr. and Mrs. Lesler Lindsley have one son, Earl L., who married Nellie Jennings, one of the eight children of John Jennings. Riley Cary was born in Nelson, Madison county. New York, and in 1846 came to Milwaukee. His wife, Maric Grover, was born in Springwater, Livingston county, New York, and in 1847 located in Wauwatosa, Milwaukee county. They were married in 1848.

Arthur Larson, a farmer of Marshall township, was born in the township in which he still resides, in 1878, son of August Larson, a native of Sweden, who came to America in 1870, set- tled first in Boston, where he was engaged in shoemaking, later coming to Mower county and purchasing eighty acres in Mar- shall township. On this farm Arthur Larson was born, spent his boyhood and grew to manhood. At the age of twenty-one he started in life for himself, and worked out as a farm laborer until 1900, when he purchased eighty acres in section seven, Mar- shall township, where he now lives and carries on general farm- ing, owning forty acres additional in section seventeen. He de- votes his attention largely to breeding Shorthorn cattle and rais- ing grain. Mr. Larson is a Republican. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church. In 1902 he married Amanda Blom, and they have four children: Hildur Anna Cecelia, Ida Ellen Johanna, Walter Alva and Carl Bernhard Ferdenand.

Lewis Lewison is one of the prominent citizens of Adams township, and has lived here since early infancy. He was born in Norway in 1860, son of Lars Trulson, who brought his family to America in 1861, locating in Dane county, Wisconsin, where they remained three years, after which they came to Mower county, and purchased 160 acres of land, upon which Mr. Trulson farmed until his death in 1904. The subject of this sketch was educated in the schools of Mower county and remained on the home farm assisting his parents until attaining his majority. At that time he purchased 240 acres of land in section one,

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Adams township, and here he has since followed general farming, raising general crops and grains, and breeding cattle for beef and dairy purposes. His house is comfortable, his barns well kept, and his aeres highly cultivated. In 1890 he married Bessie Gordon, a daughter of Emery Gordon, and they have seven chil- dren : Laura, Lizzie, Clara, Alfred, Melvin, Blanche, Olaf. Mr. Lewison is a Republican and has served as road overseer. He attends the United Lutheran church.

John Mathieson, who was an honored resident of Lansing for over fifty years, was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, March 14, 1833, son of Charles and Margaret (Riach) Mathieson, also natives of Scotland. The father died about 1844, and in 1853 the subject of this sketch came to this country and engaged as a shoemaker in Kenosha, Wis. The year later the mother came over and brought her two daughters, Violet and Ann. The former was married. In 1855 the family, in company with John and James Morrison, came to Lansing township, the Mathieson family settling on sections twenty-three and twenty-six, on a farm of 142 acres. A sister, Ann, taught school in Lansing town- ship three years, and died shortly afterward. Mr. Mathieson con- tinued to live on the home farm, which he conducted until he re- tired and came to Austin to live. He has now practically retired from active life, but still spends his time in looking after his various interests in the county. He has been a member of the town board of Lansing and also has served as town clerk. In 1884 he represented his district in the legislature. Mr. Mathieson is a Mason, and is the fifth oldest member of the Austin lodge.

Albert F'. Mattice, who died June 30, 1907, honored and re- spected by all with whom he had come in contact, was born in Fulton, Schenectady county, New York, April 13, 1845. At an early age he came to Waterloo, Wis., with his parents, receiving his education in the public schools of that place. Thoughi but sixteen years old at the outbreak of the war, he enlisted Septem- ber 2, 1861, in Company C, Eleventh Wisconsin Volunteer Infan- try, serving the entire four and a half years of the war, and rising from private to second lieutenant, these promotions attest- ing to an excellent record. Returning to his home in Waterloo, he worked in the commission house of his father for a time, and then entered into railroading for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, first acting as brakeman, then as fireman, and in 1873 was made an engineer, in which capacity he remained with the road until his failing health compelled his retirement in 1906. An equal to his record as an engineer is seldom met with, not an accident marring his thirty-five years of service. In his death Austin lost an old and respected citizen, our country a valiant soldier of the Civil war, the railroad a trusted and tried

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engineer, and his family a loving husband and father. In politics he was an adherent of the Democratic party. He was a promi- nent Mason, a Templar, and a member of the Eastern Star order for seventeen years, and was also associated with the Grand Army of the Republic and the B. of L. E. March 4, 1874, he was mar- ried to Elizabeth Furtney, daughter of Joseph and Charlotte (Hilker) Furtney, of Austin, the father a farmer. He died March 12, 1903, at the age of eighty-three years, and the mother, Septem- ber 22, 1903, at the age of eighty-one. The five children of Mr. and Mrs. Mattice are as follows: Oscar A., an engineer on the Hastings & Dakota division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, located at Aberdeen, S. D., a Knight Templar and Shriner and a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen; Lydia L., wife of Harry Van Pelt, of Missoula, Mont .; Albert J., living at home, a brakeman on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, and a member of the Ancient Order of United Work- men, the order of Owls, and the B. R. T .; Clarence W., living at home, a callboy in the employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad; and Helen G., also living at home. The family attend worship at the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Mattice is a member of the order of the Eastern Star, the W. R. C., the De- gree of Honor, and the G. I. A. Alston F. and Sally A. (Garrison) Mattice, parents of our subject, were natives of New York, later coming to Milwaukee, where the father was engaged as a com- mission merchant, continuing in the same line after their removal to Waterloo, Wis. In 1883 they migrated to Clark, S. D., where the father died, April 25, 1902, at the age of eighty-seven years. The mother passed away, February 15, 1904, aged ninety-two years.

William H. Miller, deceased, was for some years a substantial farmer at Willmar, Minn. He was born in Canada in 1839, and was left an orphan at the age of thirteen years. He came to the States with relatives, and located near Minneapolis, where as a young man he engaged in various work, after which he became a farmer in Willmar. Later he located on a farm in Lansing town- ship, and died a year later. He was a man of sturdy character, and his dealings were upright in every particular. In 1886 he united with the Presbyterian church. Mr. Miller was married to Mary A. Chadwick, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Morris) Chadwick, natives of England, who came to America with a colony and settled in the town of Bloomington, in Hennepin county, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were blessed with seven children : Frederick E., William (deceased), Allen, Herbert, Lonis, Clara M., and George H. Herbert married Hattie Young. Mrs. Miller conducts the homestead of 160 acres, and. is assisted in the work by her sons.

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The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated, Part 71

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago : H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co. Number of Pages: 1246

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago : H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.
Number of Pages: 1246