The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated, Part 73

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 73

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business and continued some five years. He is now giving exeel- lent service as foreman of the Lyle plant of the Lyle Corrugated Culvert Company. He has been a member of the village council for three years. He is single, a Republican, a member of the Knights of Pythias, and an attendant of the Lutheran church.

John Opsall, one of the prominent Norwegian-Americans of the county, came to Minnesota as a boy of sixteen, and has sinee taken an active interest in its growth and development. Hle was born in Norway in 1855, his father being Hans Opsall and his mother Julia Olson. He came to America with his mother in 1869, and joined the father who a year previous had located in Grant county, Wisconsin. In 1871 they came to Minnesota and located in Freeborn county. John, the subject of this sketch, was reared on the farm, and in 1878 started out in life for himself by purchasing his present farm of 160 acres in Lansing township, this county. In addition to this he owns five acres across the line in Freeborn county. His farming operations, which are eondueted along the latest approved lines, have been most successful, and he is regarded as one of the well-to-do men of the county. He belongs to Mason Lodge and to the A. O. U. W. Mr. Opsall was united in marriage many years ago to Mary Anderson, a native of Nor- way. This union has been blessed with two children. They are Harry M., at home, and Lena M. Lena M. is now the wife of L. C. Berry and lives in Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Berry have three children : Mareus, Lewis J. and Otto.

John D. Olson, now deceased, one of the sturdy old pioneers of Mower county, was born in Norway, in December, 1836. In 1845 he came to America, and located in Dane county, Wisconsin, where he remained until 1855. He then came to Mower county, making the trip overland by ox team, his brothers, Ragnald and Stephen, and his sister, Lena, and parents accompanying him. He settled in section 12, Adams township, gradually broke and developed the land and carried on general farming, making a specialty of grain raising and stoek breeding. Mr. Olson was well liked. He died October 25, 1895, and his death was the cause of muck sincere mourning. The subject of this sketch was mar- ried May 28, 1866, to Ida Gurina Johnson, daughter of J. C. Johnson, and this union has been blessed with nine children: Junetta, Steffina, Bertha, Emma-these four are living. Five died in youth. Junetta is the wife of Ben S. Knutson; Bertha is the wife of Peter Erickson; Emma is the wife of Knute Gordon; Steffina is the wife of Ed, Lunde. Mrs. Olson has lived in the village of Adams eight years. Her memory of the events trans- piring in the early days is very clear, and she is an earnest advo- cate of the preservation of the early records.

Knut K. Ostegaard has lived in Mower county since 1864, and

JOHN OPSALL.

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in the village of Grand Meadow since 1902. He was born in Norway, December 28, 1828; received his education in the schools of Norway, and there grew to manhood, leaving his native land for America at the age of thirty-three, in 1861. He first located in Wisconsin for a time, and then, in 1864, came to Mower county, where he purchased eighty acres in Grand Meadow township and twenty aeres of timber land in Frankford township. Five years later he purchased eighty aeres adjoining his original purchase, thus making a farm of 160 acres. This land he broke and im- proved, erected the necessary buildings and carried on general farming. On this place he toiled and prospered until 1902, when he sold the farm and purchased a lot in Grand Meadow village, on which he erected a pleasant residence, in which he and his good wife now live, enjoying the fruits of their early toil and hardships. Mr. Ostegaard was married August 23, 1867, to Olena Johnson, a native of Norway, who was born September 10, 1835, and came to America in 1866. They are the parents of three children: John lives in Grand Meadow; Anna lives in Frankford township and is now Mrs. Iver Peterson; Ole is a carpenter and contractor in Minneapolis.

Andrew M. Olson, whose farm is in the immediate vicinity of the village of Brownsdale, was born in Sweden, April 16, 1861, son of Olaf and Kyersten (Anderson) Larson. He came to America in 1888, and in the same year located in Austin, remain- ing five months. After this he worked six years in Brownsdale, and then farmed a similar period for Charles Gage. In 1899 he purchased a farm in Red Rock township near Brownsdale, and in 1900 moved onto the place. He has the 160 acres under good cultivation, has a substantial home and large outbuildings in which the cattle and erops are well housed. Mr. Olson was on the school board in 1903 and he has allied himself with the M. W. A. and the B. A. Y. Ile married Hilda M. Sodergren, daughter of Charles and Lena (Peterson) Sodergren, and this union has resulted in five children : Alvin A., Walter S., Edna M., Russell F. and Helen C.

Ole T. Odden, retired farmer of Grand Meadow, was born in Norway, October 10, 1835, son of Torgrim Anderson and Segrie Halverson, his wife, who came from Norway to America in 1870, and located in Lansing township, this county, later moving over the line into Moscow, Freeborn county, remaining there until their death. Ole T. received his education in Norway, and came to America in 1867, loeating in Frankford township, this county, where he purchased eighty aeres of land, which he improved and developed. In 1906 he sold this farm, then bought it back again, and then disposed of it permanently. In the fall of 1910 he took up his abode in Grand Meadow. He still owns 160 acres in

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Frankford township, which he rents. While living on his farm Mr. Odden served seven years as justice of the peace. He was married in September, 1859, to Ingeberg Severson, and this union has been brightened with seven children : Torgrim lives in Wadena county, Minnesota; Sever lives in Staples, Todd county, Minnesota ; Halvor is a furniture dealer in Grand Meadow; Anton is janitor of Grand Meadow high school; John and Simon died of diphtheria in 1877; Emma C. is at home. The family faith is that of the Lutheran church. The brothers and sisters of Ole T. Odden are as follows, he being the oldest: Anders, killed at Murfrees- boro, January 1, 1864; Carolina, of Norway; Halvor, farmer of Freeborn county, town of Mosco; Sarah, the wife of Lewis Quam, of Elmore, Minn .; Simon, of Freeborn county; Bertha, wife of George Baudler, of Austin, and Christopher, deceased.

Halvor Odden, furniture dealer and funeral director of Grand Meadow, was born in Norway, February 13, 1865, son of Ole T. Odden. He came to America with his parents in 1867, was reared to manhood in Frankford township, and remained on the home farm until the age of twenty-three, when he started clerking in a general store in Spring Valley, remaining there from 1888 to 1891. In the latter year he came to Grand Meadow, worked in a general store several years and in 1906 bought out N. P. Stenshold, and engaged in the furniture and undertaking business. He was mar- ried September 25, 1895, to Anna Maria Anderson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Anderson.

George Pick, a farmer living in Brownsdale village, was born in Leicestershire, England, March 19, 1839, son of William and Ann (Johnson) Pick, and married Emma Beer, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Hill) Beer, of London, England. George Piek and his wife came to America in 1864, and located on a farm in Fillmore county. In 1868 they came to Waltham township and purchased a farm in section 36. In 1908 Mr. Pick moved to the village of Brownsdale, and has since made his home here, although he still operates his farm, being assisted in his work by his son, Fay. Mr. Pick takes an interest in publie affairs, and in addition to serving on the town board at various times was clerk of the school board of his district for twenty years. In the Pick family there were five children : Jennie, William, Lydia, Arthur and Fay. Jennie married Thomas Johnson, of Waltham, Minn., and they have five children : Mabel, Vaughan, Myrtle, Ray and Rose. William O. lives in Clay county, Minnesota. He married Jennie Bull, and they have three children: Glinee, Nellie and Olive. Lydia married Jasper Hill and lives in Bruno, Pine county, Min- nesota. Arthur lives in Antelope county, Nebraska. Fay married Mabel Baily, lives in Waltham, and assists on the home farm.

Helge A. Peterson is one of the progressive farmers of the

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county. He has a productive farm of 480 aeres in Udolpho town- ship, beautifully laid out and equipped with all the most modern machinery. His house, erected in 1887, is a model of beauty and comfort, and the stoek is well housed in commodious quarters, while there are in addition numerous buildings for the shelter of erops and machinery. Mr. Peterson also owns land in other parts of Minnesota. Although these extensive holdings entail much labor and eare on his part, he has nevertheless found time to take an active part in publie affairs, and he has been chairman of the board of supervisors of the township for twenty years, as well as treasurer of his school district for many terms, and treasurer of the Imtheran church congregation for eighteen years. He was born in Roek eounty, Wisconsin, December 28, 1852, son of Asleek Peterson, who came from the old country to America in 1845 and settled in Spring Valley, Roek county, where he lived until his death. In 1875 Helge A. Peterson married Betsy T. Knudson Berg, who died July 9, 1876, leaving one daughter, Betsy, who is wife of Ole H. Kanudtson, and lives in Wisconsin. In 1882 Helge A. left Wisconsin and came to Udolpho township, where he pur- ehased his present farm. His wife, whose maiden name was Helena O. Lewis, was a daughter of Ole Lewis, who served in the Civil war, and died at Chattanooga, Tenn., of siekness contraeted in the army. This union has been blessed with nine ehildren: Samuel Arthur, born June 5, 1885; Ormanzo Benhart, born October 28, 1887; Nellie Johanna, born November 26, 1889, and died May 8, 1890; Nellie Charlotte, born February 26, 1891; Charles Palmer, born January 20, 1893; Blanche Lillian, born August 21, 1895; Ralph Alexander, born February 23, 1897, died September 5, 1898; Signe Evangeline, born August 12, 1900, and Agnes Helena, born October 9, 1904. Samuel Arthur was married August 12, 1905, to Serena Anderson, and this union has been blessed with four children: Tonetta Henrietta, born October 7, 1905; Harriet Otena, born October 27, 1907; Selina Ordell, born June 11, 1909, and Erwin Chester, born November 10, 1910.

Charles Peachey has a fine farm in Lyle township, well eulti- vated and well set with fruit and shade trees. He was born in England, in Cambridgeshire, April 20, 1849, son of James and Charlotte (Marsh) Peachey, natives of England, who came to America in 1851 and located in Milwaukee, Wis., remaining there about two years, after which they moved to Waupun, Wis., where they remained for about four years, subsequently removing to Rice lake, Dodge county, remaining there about twenty years, still later coming to Owatonna, Steele county. Here the father died, December 28, 1908, the mother still making her home in Owatonna. Charles crossed the ocean with his parents at one and a half years of age, and received his education in the public

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schools of Rice Lake, Minn. After this he worked out by the month for a period of five years, and in 1876 went to Waupun, Dodge county, Wisconsin, and engaged with Raymond brothers on a farm for one year. In 1877 he came to Mower county, and located in section 7, Lyle township, where he purchased forty acres of wild land and built a home and other buildings, breaking and developing the land. Six years later he added an adjoining forty acres, his farm now consisting of eighty acres of good land. He has set out an abundance of shade trees, giving his residence a pretty appearance, and also has over 100 apple trees. Mr. Peachey is a Republican in politics and attends the Presbyterian church. Although interested in public affairs, he has never con- sented to run for public office. The subject of this sketeli was married March 27, 1877, to Eliza A. Marsh, who has proved an able helpmeet. She is the daughter of James and Christina (Nolden) Marsh, the former a native of Cambridgeshire, England, and the mother of Bonn, Germany. The father came to America at nineteen years of age and the mother at ten, the former locating in Milwaukee, Wis., and the latter at Waupun, in the same state. They came to Minnesota in 1888, from Dodge county, Wisconsin. Both are now living in Austin. Mrs. Peachey has served as treas- urer of her school district, No. 14, for eight years, and has taken a deep interest in local, civic, literary and educational subjects.

Peter G. Peterson, successful farmer of Lansing township, and for nine years supervisor, a position he has filled with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his fellow citizens, was born in Clayton county, Iowa, son of Gulleek Peterson, also a farmer, who came to America from Norway in 1862. Gulleck lived in Clayton and Dodge counties, Minnesota, and Worth county, Iowa, and died in the latter county in 1877. His wife, with her three children, consisting of Peter, the subject of this sketcli, and two girls, came to Lansing and located on section 18, in 1877, and Peter G. has since been a resident of this township. Six years ago he moved to section 21, where he still resides. The home farm consists of 160 acres of good land, which is doing well under careful attention. The house is comfortable, the buildings well kept, and the stock and crops well looked after. Modern tools and machinery add to the success that Mr. Peterson has achieved. In addition to his farm in section 18, he owns ten acres in section 17, in the same township, and 160 acres of good land in Richland county, North Dakota. He is a believer in education, and in addition to giving the township good service on the town board, has served faithfully for sixteen years as a member of the school board of his district. The subject of this sketch was married in 1896 to Helgine Ander- son, born in Norway in 1866, daughter of Andrew Olson. She came to America with her parents in 1871 and they have since

IRA PADDEN.

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lived in Lansing. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson have had five children : George E., born December 15, 1896; Evin J., born August 4, 1898; Morris N., April 28, 1900; Helen Pauline, May 20, 1902; Esther Engeborg, November 5, 1904.

Ira Padden, now deceased, one of the pioneers of Windom township, in this eounty, was born in Scotland, and married Mary Wilson, who was born in Canada, of Seottish descent. They came to Mower county in 1856, located in Windom township, and pre- empted 160 aeres. Ira Padden had about twenty aeres of this land broken, when he listened to his country's call, and enlisted in Co. C, 9th Minn. Vol. Inf., serving until honorably discharged at Ft. Snelling at the elose of the war. Then he returned to the farm, and followed agricultural pursuits until his death, Deeember 17, 1865. His wife died in 1908.

Ira Padden, general superintendent of the plant of the Minne- sota Farmers' Briek and Tile Company, Austin, is a native of this county, born on the southeast quarter of section 6, Windom town- . ship, son of Ira and Mary (Wilson) Padden, the pioneers. He received his education in the country schools and in the Austin high school, after which he entered the employ of the C., M. & St. P. After learning the machinists' trade, he was gradually promoted, and during the last six years of his twenty years' employment with that company aeted as foreman of the shops at Austin. Subsequent to this he served eight years as state boiler inspector for the First district, and still later entered into the land and real estate business. November 26, 1909, when the Minnesota Farmers' Brick and Tile Company was organized, he became its general superintendent, and his efficient and faithful serviee, as well as his mechanical knowledge, has played an important part in the favor with which the output of that company has met. Mr. Padden is a Republican in politics, has done valuable service for the city of Austin as alderman from the third ward, a capacity in which he has, with the exception of two years, served since twenty-one years of age, and has also been sergeant at arms at the state capitol for the last two sessions of the legislature. lle helped to organize Co. G, Second Regiment, M. N. G., and held rank from private to first lieutenant, also aeting as captain two years. Mr. Padden is a member of the A. O. U. W., the M. W. A., the I. O. R. M., the K. of P., the B. P. O. E. and the Owls. He was married November 25, 1887, to Mira Streeter, and this union has resulted in three children, of whom two are living: Edith, a graduate of the Austin high school and of the University of Min- nesota, is teaching in the high school at Lake City, Minn .; Elsie is a student at the Hamline University.

Frank H. Pike, a substantial farmer of Austin township, was born in Erie county, New York, September 30, 1856, son of Isial

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N. and Isabell (Rolfe) Pike, natives of New York state. He came with his parents to Wisconsin in 1875, and to Mower county in 1885. Here he purchased 160 acres of farm land, and has since carried on agricultural operations. He added sixty acres to his place by purchase, and obtained a similar area from his father, this making him a farm of 280 acres, which receives his best care and attention. He is an independent voter, and has avoided political office, although his interest in education has cansed his acceptance of the office of school district 29, a position he has held with credit for nine years. The subject of this sketch was married, in Green county, Wisconsin, October 20, 1878, to Jennie DeRemer, daughter of Peter and Rose (Domey) DeRemer, both now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Pike have been blessed with six children, three of whom, Leslie E., Rosabel N. and Celia F., are living, and three of whom, Dellie M., Lloyd L. and Edith I., are dead. Leslie was born December 8, 1886; Rosabel N., October 9, 1893, and Celia F., September 7, 1896. Dellie M. lived from April 3, 1880, to July 4, 1889; Lloyd L. from December 30, 1888, to September 14, 1893; Edith I. from November 20, 1891, to February 18, 1894, bringing joy by their arrival and presence, and desola- tion by their departure and absence. The family faith is that of the Baptist church. Frank H. Pike has always been an extensive breeder of stock. At one time he bred the Polled Durham cattle. Mrs. Frank H. Pike is one of the oldest breeders of thoroughbred poultry in the township.

Isiah N. Pike was born in New York in 1832, went to Wis- consin in the spring of 1855, and was married in that fall to Isabell Rolfe, a native of Ohio. Then they went back to New York state, and lived there until the fall of 1875, when they came west to Evansville, Wis., and purchased eighty acres of land, farming until 1885, when he came to Austin township, purchased land and followed agricultural pursuits. Isiah N. Pike died September 19, 1904, and his wife makes her home with her son, Frank H., in Austin township.

Willard K. Porter, a substantial and successful business man of LeRoy, was born in the vicinity where he still resides, May 16, 1857, son of Andrew J. and Elizabeth Porter, the pioneers. Wil- lard K. received his schooling in LeRoy, and then elerked for some five years in the LeRoy bank. His ability and popularity secured for him the position of deputy county auditor and this office he filled with credit for two years. In 1892 he assisted in the organi- zation of the First State Bank, of LeRoy, and is now its president. This bank is one in which LeRoy takes a particular pride. It has been judiciously managed since its conception, its policy being progressive in so far as is consistent with sound financial prin- ciples, and the financial integrity of this vicinity rests to a large

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extent upon the solidity of this bank. Mr. Porter, sinee 1885, has been a partner in the firm of Porter & Young, general dealers. This concern eondnets a general store, has eloak salesmen on the road, and also buys live stock, making daily shipments to Austin and other points. Mr. Porter has had a long and varied expe- rience in the buying and selling of live stock, and is considered an authority in this particular line. February 3, 1881, Mr. Porter married Eulalie Avery, daughter of John T. and Myra (Mitchell) Avery, and their children are Myra Beth Porter, a student at Carlton College, Northfield, Minn .; Lynn A. Porter, assistant cashier of the First State Bank of LeRoy.

Andrew J. Porter, pioneer blacksmith and first constable of LeRoy, was born in Madison, Lake county, Ohio, January 28, 1829. At the age of eight years he lost his father, and when he was twelve the family emigrated to Wisconsin, locating in Mil- waukee county, where they were early settlers. An elder brother bought land and Andrew J. made his home with him until he was seventeen years of age. Then he went to Milwaukee, and learned the blacksmith trade, serving three years. Afterward he went to northern Michigan, and engaged in horseshoeing until 1856, when he started for Minnesota, making the trip over the lakes to Wauwatosa, Wis., and from there to Mower eounty with ox teams. He was joined by his father-in-law, E. Whitcomb, and upon arriv- ing here claimed the southwest quarter of seetion 30, in the town of LeRoy. There he remained two years and then purchased the southwest quarter of section 31, where he built a large house and remained until 1864, at which time he moved to what is now known as the old town of LeRoy. There he engaged in black- smithing with E. E. McKee. When the new town was started he bought land in the present village of LeRoy and erected a house. In company with John Curry .he built the first blacksmith shop in the new village. He was first eonstable in the village, and was repeatedly elected to offices of trust and honor. Andrew J. Porter married Elizabeth Whiteomb, October 28, 1849, and they were the parents of six children: Anson C., Vica A., Julia I., Willard K., Frank W. and Lizzie M., Ida and Frank dying in infancy.

James Peterson, a retired farmer living in Lyle, was born in Norway, February 16, 1844, son of Peter Johnson and Brita, his wife, natives of Norway, who came to America in 1867, locating in Mitchell county, Iowa, where they ended their days, the former in 1871 and the latter in 1898. James received his education in Norway and came to Mitchell county in 1866, locating in Union township, where he started farming on 160 acres. This he later increased to half a seetion, on which he conducted many improve- inents and carried on general farming, remaining there until 1903, when he retired and moved to Lyle village. He has served in

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school and township office, and holds stock in the Otter Creek Co-operative Creamery and in the Lyle Telephone Company. He was married April 17, 1866, and twelve children have blessed this union : Bertha is the wife of Ole A. Neversate, of Mitchell county ; Anna is the wife of Erik Slindee, postmaster at Adams; Julia is the wife of W. E. Brown, of Austin; Josephine is a milliner in Minneapolis ; Petra is the wife of John Thorstas, of Lyle; Albert, who married Hannah Johnson, is on the old homestead; John lives in Marion, N. D .; Henry lives in the same place and is the husband of Celia Strand; Peter married Mabel Selle ; Ella married Edward Hildebrand; Lillian is a school teacher, and Peter died at the age of eight years. The family faith is that of the Lutheran church.

Henry N. Peterson, now deceased, was a respected business man of Lyle village, and his death, January 21, 1900, was sincerely mourned by the people of the vicinity. He was born in Bergen, Norway, February 27, 1859, and was brought to America by his uncle at the age of nine years. He attended school in Adams township, and in Austin farmed for a period, and then went to Minneapolis, where he worked faithfully in various lines for a number of years. In 1884, having by frugal effort saved enough money to embark in business for himself, he came to Lyle and opened a furniture store. After this he sold out, and engaged in the hardware business, but still later disposed of this, and with John Evenson opened a furniture establishment. He erected the Peterson block in the village of Lyle, and also dealt in real estate, selling building lots and purchasing large farm tracts, owning at one time 500 acres in the vicinity of Lyle. He voted the Demo- cratic ticket; was one of the first members of the Lyle village council and served twelve years; belonged to the Masons and attended the Methodist church. He was married November 12, 1885, to Sophia Olson, daughter of Lars and Ingar (Bjornson) Olson, natives of Norway, who came to America in 1868 and located in Chicago until 1873, in which year they came to Lyle and engaged in the furniture businces, Lars Olson being dead, and his wife Ingar being a resident of Lyle at the good old age of eiglity-nine years. Mrs. Peterson was born in Tragery, Norway, March 24, 1859, and bore to her husband nine children: Cora. Nora, Conrad, Henrietta, Leonard, Phoebe, Vida, Victor and Eva. The three oldest are high school graduates, Cora and Nora being graduates also of Carleton College, at Northfield, Minn., while Conrad is studying dentistry at the University of Minnesota. Phoebe and Vida graduated from the Lyle high school in 1911. Nora is a graduate of the Valley City, N. D., normal school. Henrietta graduated from the normal school in Moorehead, Minn., in 1911.

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The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated, Part 73

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