The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated, Part 86

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 86

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Emil Dahmen, representative of the Minneapolis Tribune, liv- ing in Austin, was born in Kalmer, Sweden, June 17, 1872, son of C. J. and Hanna (Peterson) Dahmen, the former of whom was a leather merchant in Sweden. Emil received his education in the public and private schools of Sweden, and then entered into the grocery business in his native land. In 1893 he came to America, and farmed near Jamestown, N. Y., for one year, after which he engaged in the life insurance business six years, serving in the meantime a term as private in the New York National Guard. In 1900 he went to New York and engaged in the life insurance business there. He followed the same line in Minneapolis, to which city he next moved, but later accepted a position in the circulating department of the Minneapolis Tribune. In 1903 he came to Austin, and has since had charge of the circulation of that paper in Austin and southern Minnesota. He is a Repub-

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lican and a member of the B. P. O. E. Mr. Dahmen was married October 2, 1899, at Jamestown, N. Y., to Emma Stranburg, daugh- ter of F. O. Stranburg, a prominent undertaker of Jamestown, N. Y., now deceased. Mrs. Dahmen was born at Jamestown, November 22, 1874, and in that place her mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Dahmen have two children: Lloyd C., born Sep- tember 9, 1900, and Grace II., born February 22, 1903.

H. G. Dahl, successful hardware merchant of Lyle village, was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, October 5, 1871, son of H. O. and S. H. Dahl, natives of Norway, who came to America as children, lived in Rock county until 1873, and then engaged in farming in Mitchell county, until they moved, in 1882, to their present farm of 120 acres of excellently cultivated land. H. O. Dahl died July 23, 1908, and his wife still lives on the old home- stead. H. G. Dahl received his education in the public and high schools and in the academy at St. Ansgar, Iowa. He started work in life as a clerk and worked for E. L. Stanley, R. Reirson and the Wilson Brothers before embarking in the hardware business with Colburn J. Colbertson. The business has grown to large proportions, and the store carries a good stock of all kinds of hardware, plumbing and heating equipment, tinware, pianos and organs, the plumbing department being well equipped for work in village and country. Mr. Dahl is a Republican, has been assessor of the village of Lyle two terms, member of the city council one term, and treasurer of the school board five years. He has shown his interest in the welfare of the village by sub- scribing to stock in the Lyle Telephone Company. The subject of this sketch was married October 15, 1898, to Emma Volstad, daughter of G. K. Volstad, and this union has been blessed with five children : Lloyd F., Genevieve S., Fred E., Glenn H. and Evangeline H., born October 20, 1910.

E. S. Evenson, one of the leading farmers of Windom town- ship, and veteran of the Civil war, was born in Norway, Novem- ber 18, 1845, son of Stener and Rondi (Knutson) Evenson, who came to America in 1849, and settled in Green county, Wisconsin, coming to Minnesota in 1862, and settling in section 31, Windom township, where the son, E. S., now lives. E. S. came to America with his parents as an infant, was reared in Wisconsin, and as a young man enlisted in a company of Wisconsin Volunteer Infan- try. He saw active service in the war, and was discharged at Vicksburg, Miss., August 9, 1865. After the war he came to Windom township, to which locality his parents had in the mean- time moved, and has since farmed on section 31. IIe has been successful in his operations, and is respected and liked through- out the community. He married Mary Hanson, and they have seven children: Rondi, wife of Peter Lawson; Hans and Ben,

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of Nevada township; Edward, of Adams township; Minnie, now deceased; William, of Lyle township; and Julia, wife of Nels Nelson, of Nevada township.

Joseph H. Furtney, a successful liveryman of Austin, was born August 24, 1875, son of Josiah S. and Sarah (Hibbard) Furtney. He attended the schools of his neighborhood, and then took up mason work with his father, remaining at this work until he gradually became interested in the livery business. For the past six years he has been a member of the firm of Furtney & Bassett. Mr. Furtney married Ida Nelson, and they have three children: Florence, Herbert J. and Donald. Mr. Furtney belongs to the F. O. E. and the M. W. A.

Josiah S. Furtney, for many years a farmer and mason in Mower county, was born in Canada, his father being a native of Pennsylvania, and his grandfather of Germany. Josiah S. mar- ried Sarah Hibbard, and after a period spent in Decorah, Iowa, came to Austin, in which vicinity he lived until his death in 1902. He had seven children : Minnie, Joseph H., Harry M., Lottie M., Lottie, Roy, Ada and Vera.

Alfred D. Fairbanks, now deceased, was born in Vermont, there grew to manhood, and at the outbreak of the Civil war enlisted in the United States Sharpshooters, serving in Com- pany E. He married Belle A. Baker, and together they went to live in Bethel, Vt., where Mr. Fairbanks worked three years on a farm in hopes of regaining his health, which had been impaired by army life. Then they came west and located in Mower county, taking up their home in the historic spot long known as "Saints' Rest." Seventeen years later ill health caused him to abandon farming, and in 1891 they moved to Austin, where Mr. Fairbanks died April 4, 1899. Mrs. Fairbanks, nee Belle A. Baker, was born in Hollidaysberg, Pa., daughter of Abram P. and Elizabeth (Kidd) Baker. Mrs. Fairbanks passed her early life in her native town, attended school there, and later took courses at Phila- delphia and at Altoona, Pa. She was married at her home in Hollidaysberg. Three of her sisters are still living: Ann is now Mrs. William Kean, of Bedford, Pa .; Maria is now Mrs. Harry Campbell, of Chicago, Ill., and Jennie is now Mrs. James Light- cap, of Alleghany, Pa.

Edward Goebel, Jr., who conducts a farm at 1200 Freeborn street, just inside the city limits of Austin, was born in Clare- mont, Minn., July 21, 1883, son of Edward and Amelia (La Sage) Goebel, natives of Wisconsin. He received his education in the public schools of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa, his first ven- ture for himself being as a papermaker at Appleton, Wis. Then he learned the machinist's trade, and worked in the shops at Eagle Grove, Iowa, until 1902, when he became chauffeur at Kan-

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sas City, Mo., for five years. From June to November, 1908, he had a similar position at Callander, Iowa. Late in the fall of that year he came to Austin, where he has since been engaged in agricultural pursuits. Mr. Goebel was married November 2, 1904, at Ft. Dodge, Iowa, to Louise Peterson, of Callander, Iowa, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Peterson. To this union have been born three children: Marvin E., born October 22, 1905; Harold P., born April 12, 1906, and an infant, born August 16, 1910. Edward Goebel, Sr., and Amelia La Sage, his wife, were natives of Wisconsin. Edward, Sr., was in the livery business in Eagle Grove, Iowa, for about eighteen years, and in 1893 eame to Austin and engaged in the livery business. He is now retired and lives in La Crosse, Wis.

L. C. Gillett, a retired farmer now living in the village of Brownsdale, has taken his part in the life of the community, having served at various times as township supervisor, village councilman and district school clerk. He was born in Putnam county, New York, November 4, 1833, and with his parents went to Berkhannen county, Missouri, where the family remained nine years. Then they went to Vernon county, in the same state, and there the father died, after a residence of twenty-three years. In 1867 L. C. Gillett, with his wife and mother, came to Austin, and remained four years, afterward taking up their residence in Red Rock township, where Mr. Gillett farmed twenty-five years, after which he retired. He has occupied his present comfortable resi- dence in Brownsdale since 1904, his wife being now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Gillett were blessed with six children: Ilattie, deceased ; Delia, wife of C. A. Sleeper; Edna, deceased ; Ulysses S .; Gordon L., deceased, and Nora, wife of Henry Woodward.

John Gilligan, a well known and popular citizen of Adams, was born in Ireland, son of Patrick and Mary (Hart) Gilligan. He came to this country with his parents, lived with them in New York and New Jersey. He came with them to Adams township, and grew to manhood on section 16. In 1872 Mr. Gilligan pur- chased the north half of the southeast quarter of section 36, erected some excellent buildings and there carried on general farming until 1898, when he retired from active farm life and moved to Adams village. Mr. Gilligan is a gentleman of the old school, courteous in his bearing, and charitable toward all. He married Mary Madden in. April, 1871, her parents being William and Bridget Madden. In the family there are three children: John J., Walter II. and Mary C. The subject of this sketch has filled various positions of trust and honor in township and village, and has also served with credit as county commissioner.

Patrick Gilligan, an early settler, was born in Ireland in August, 1822, and was there married to Mary Hart in January,

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1844, the fruit of this union being three children : John, Mary and Charles. Patrick brought his family to the United States in 1849, leaving Ireland March 3 and arriving in New York after a voyage of four and a half weeks. He at once went to New Jersey, where he hired out on a farm, remaining eight years, after which he went to New York state, remaining about a year. Then he came to Mower county and settled in section 16, in Adams township, on which he built a log cabin, thatched with hay. After living in this building some two years he erected a more commodious dwell- ing, in which he resided eighteen years, after which he purchased the southwest quarter of section 15 and erected a large farm house, in which he made his home until his death.

Jeremiah Guinney, now deceased, was one of the early mer- chants of Austin. He was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1842. His parents died when he was a child. When he was eleven years of age he landed in America with his brothers. In the spring of that year located in Boston, and in the fall Jeremiah moved to Illinois, where he remained three years. It was in 1856 that he came to Red Rock township, in this county. He learned the harnessmaker's trade. In 1868 he formed a partnership in the same business with a Mr. Kaiser, and this partnership continued until the death of Jeremiah Guinney, December 13, 1890. The subject of this sketch married Mary Welch, a native of County Cork, Ireland, daughter of John and Anora (Keefe) Welch. Mrs. Guinney is the mother of four children: Anna, living at home; Daniel, a harnessmaker by trade; Minnie E., a bookkeeper at the Albert Thon dry goods store in Austin, and Lauretta, a stenog- rapher and bookkeeper.

Edward Gurvin, chairman of the board of supervisors, of Adams township, was born in the township where he still resides December 13, 1873, the son of Peter and Kate Garvin, natives of Norway. He attended the district schools, and remained at home until twenty-two years of age, when he started out in life for himself. He started by renting land, and at this was very suc- cessful. He now works the home place and several tracts adjoin- ing, making a total of 400 acres under his supervision. On this farm he conducts general farming, making a specialty of Short- horn cattle for dairy purposes, the cream from this herd being sold to the Adams Co-operative Creamery, in which he is a director. Eight years ago Mr. Gurvin, who is a Republican in polities, was elected a member of the board of supervisors of Adams township, and after three years in this capacity he became chairman, a position he has held for the past five years with much credit. He is a popular member of the M. W. A. and attends the Lutheran church.

Peter Gurvin and Kate Gurvin, his wife, were born in Norway.

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They came to America before the Civil war and lived for a time in Madison, Wis. There Peter farmed for several years and then started with his ox team and prairie schooner across the country. Upon reaching Adams township he purchased eight acres in sec- tion 13, and farmed there until his death, December 27. 1910. He had three sons. Edward manages the home place. Nels is in the machine and automobile business in Adams village. Knute is general agent at Adams for the Acme Harvester Company and enjoys a large trade.

James Keenan was born in Mount Pleasant, Wayne county, Pennsylvania, son of James and Elizabeth (Farwell) Keenan, who brought their family to Oakland, Freeborn county, this state, in 1867. James, Jr., received a good common school education, and after coming west he and his brother, Joseph, engaged in the manufacture of carriages and wagons. After six years of this business, however, the brothers discovered that they could buy the vehicles cheaper than they could make them, so they aban- doned the manufacturing end of the business, and devoted them- selves to selling what they shipped in. In 1906 this business was discontinued, and since then Mr. Keenan has looked after his numerous financial interests and his real estate business. Mr. Keenan is an extensive traveler, and has visited many lands. For his first wife Mr. Keenan married Bella Hall, a native of Massa- chusetts. After her death he married Katherine E. Dunavone, who has proved a most able helpmeet. James Keenan, Sr., was a noted shipbuilder on the Atlantic coast, in the early part of the nineteenth century. His ability and skill were widely acknowl- edged, and his name was known wherever ships were constructed. He worked in Boston and New York for many years, and after the war of 1812 assisted in rebuilding the American navy, work- ing on such vessels as the Hornet, which in those days were con- sidered as monarchs of the seas. For seven years Mr. Keenan, Sr., was with the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company, superin- tending the construction of all the boats built by this company at Honesdale, Pa. In 1867 the family came west and settled on a farm in Oakland, Freeborn county, Minn., where James, Sr., farmed until his death, in 1879. He married Elizabeth Farwell, who bore him five children : Mary, now Mrs. Reily ; John, living in Winona ; James, Joseph and Michael J., living in Austin.

Hiram F. Kezar, merchant of Sargeant village, was born in Beaver Dam, Wis., August 12, 1870, son of Alvin Kezar, marshal of Waltham village, and Ellen Markham, his wife, the father, Alvin, and the grandfather, Hiram, both having been born in the same house in Macenia, St. Lawrence county, New York. Hiram F. spent his boyhood on a farm in Waltham township, there grew to manhood, took up agricultural pursuits and was thus engaged

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until 1907, when he came to Sargeant village and opened a store. Mr. Kezar is a Mason. He was married a few years ago to Rebecca Johnson, daughter of George Johnson, and they have one child, Lyle T.

Alvin T. Kezar, marshal of Waltham village, was born in Macenia, St. Lawrence county, New York, May 18, 1845, son of Hiram and Catharine (Nesdel) Kezar. The father was born in the same house as his son, and was a genuine Connectient Yankee. The mother was a native of Ireland. The father and his family came west in 1854, and settled at Beaver Dam, Wis., where he farmed for eighteen years. Mrs. Catherine Kezar died in Beaver Dam, and in 1872 the father, Hiram, and the son, Alvin, started farming in Waltham township, near the village. In 1896 Alvin T., the subject of this sketch, received his appointment as marshal, a position he has since held with discretion, courage and integrity. He is a Republican and a member of the Modern Woodmen. Mr. Kezar was married some years ago to Ellen Markham, daughter of Walter Markham, and to this union have been born two chil- dren, Hiram and Myrtle. Hiram lives in Sargeant. Myrtle mar- ried George Nichols and they have one daughter, Bessie.

William Kuchenbecker, business man of Waltham, was born in Crawford county, Wisconsin, March 19, 1871, son of William and Louisa (Railer) Kuchenbecker, who came to America from Germany in 1850, and located in Crawford county, Wisconsin, where they farmed until 1887, in which year the father died. A son, Alfred, then bought the old homestead, and the mother moved to Prairie du Chien, where she still lives. William, the subject of this sketch, received his education in Crawford county, Wisconsin, and there engaged in farming until 1890, when he came to Mower county and worked on a farm in Red Rock town- ship for seven years. Then he rented a farm in Waltham town- ship for a similar period. Then he came to Waltham village, and was clerk in a meat establishment, also operating a steam threshing machine. In the fall of 1908 he embarked in the meat business for himself. Now does a large business, has an extensive trade, and prepares most of his own fresh meats, as well as hams, bacon, sausages and the like. In company with his brother, Louis, he is still in the threshing business and reaps a goodly profit in this line every fall. Mr. Kuchenbecker lives in Waltham village, votes independently and belongs to the Lutheran church. William Kuchenbecker is the fourth of six brothers. Alfred, Oscar and Rudolph live in Crawford county, Wisconsin; Louis lives in Waltham ; Hiram lives in Prairie du Chien.

George Larson, buttermaker at Lansing, was born in Denmark in 1881, and was reared in the home of his parents, John and Margaret (Rasmussen) Larson, attending the common schools

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and learning the buttermaker's trade. He came to America in 1904, lived in New York city a year, and then came to Lansing, where he has since been engaged with the Lansing Co-operative Creamery. This is an important concern and turns out on an average of three thousand pounds a week. Mr. Larson belongs to the Modern Woodmen of the World. He married Loretta Sevay, and they have one child, Vera Isabell.

William Logue, genial proprietor of the Merchants' Hotel, at Adams, was born in Ottawa, Canada, October 31, 1857, son of Patrick and Margaret (McGee) Logue, natives of Ireland, who came to Canada and remained for a period of six years, after which they came to the United States and located at New Oregon, Howard county, Iowa, where the former engaged in house moving and contracting, which vocation he followed until his death, July 20, 1882, his wife passing away at Minneapolis, September 15, 1877. William received his education in New Oregon, Iowa, and worked out by the month until twenty-one years of age. Subse- quently he was engaged as follows: teaming for the Great North- ern railroad at Minneapolis for four months; working for a bottling company at Minneapolis a little over a year; working for Moss & Davis, wholesale liquor dealers of Minneapolis, one year; conducting a well drilling business at New Oregon, Iowa, eleven years ; managing a hotel at LeRoy, this county, two years ; managing a hotel in Adams two years; managing a hotel at Lyle a year ; managing for three months the Sweet Hotel, at LeRoy, which he crected; working at the well drilling business in Owa- tonna one year; managing a hotel at New Richland, Waseca county, for one year; engaging in the electric light business in Owatonna one year; working as collector for the Sherman Nur- sery Company, of Charles City, Iowa, four years; managing a hotel at Gilbert, Minn., for six months, and managing a hotel at Stewartville, Minn., for six months. In September, 1910, he came to Adams, and has since been proprietor of the Merchants' Hotel. Mr. Logue is a Republican in politics, a member of the Catholic church and of the Knights of Pythias. The subject of this sketch was married June 24, 1890, to Bridget Fitzgerald, daughter of Michael and Bridget Fitzgerald, of Clermont, Fayette county, Iowa, where she was born February 2, 1860. Her father died February 16, 1873, and her mother December 9, 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Logue have two children: Alfred, born April 21, 1891, a student at the Virginia, Minn., high school, and May A., born November 5, 1900, living at home.

William P. Lewis, merchant of Grand Meadow village and formerly county commissioner of Mower county, was born in Kenosha county, Wisconsin, July 13, 1855, son of William and Eliza (Bennett) Lewis, early settlers. William P. assisted his

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parents on the farm and later took up the meat business, which he has followed since 1905. His business during this period of fifteen years has continued to grow, and he recently moved into a large store formerly occupied by the Exchange State Bank. Aside from the office mentioned above, Mr. Lewis was one of the supervisors of Grand Meadow township for thirteen years. He married May Turner, daughter of Hiram and Eunice (Mathews) Turner, and has two children, Joseph and Elwin.

William Lewis was born in England, married Eliza Bennett, lived for a time in Wisconsin, and came to Grand Meadow town- ship in 1864, remaining here until his death, in 1890. His wife died five years later.

O. D. Lambert, who lives in Brownsdale, is now practically retired from active participation in farm life. He was born in East Hamlin, Monroe county, New York, October 19, 1851, son of Peter and Eveline (Simmons) Lambert. He moved to Illinois about 1880, and there remained several years. He dates his resi- dence in Mower county from 1884, in which year he came to Red Rock and purchased a quarter section of land which he improved and cultivated. Here he remained and successfully conducted farming operations until he came to the village of Brownsdale to live. On March 7, 1877, he married Clara Hampton, daughter of William Hampton, of Illinois, and there were three children: W. P., born October 13, 1880; J. V., January 15, 1881, and Claira A., who was born January 10, 1888, and died January 20, 1889. Mrs. Lambert died March 5, 1889. March 12, 1891, he married Margaret Cutts, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Barnes) Cutts, early settlers of DaKalb county, Illinois, and of English descent.

Nels Mickelsen, contractor and concrete manufacturer of Aus- tin, was born in Denmark, October 18, 1865, son of August and Mary (Jensen) Miekelsen, natives of Denmark, where they lived and died, the father passing away in 1878 and the mother in 1902. Nels received some schooling in Denmark, and came to America in 1886, locating six months later in Rochester, Minn. Then, after three years there, he took a trip west through the moun- tains of Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. Then he returned, and after a year in Rochester came, in 1892, to Austin, where for a time he followed his trade as a bricklayer, also doing some con- tracting. In 1904 he started in the cement business, with a fine plant on River street, where he manufactures cement tiles and blocks. IIe also owns a fine home and ten acres of land on Sonth Kenwood street. Mr. Miekelsen is a Republican in poli- ties, attends the Lutheran church, affiliates with the Masonic order, and belongs to the M. W. A. and the Danish Brotherhood. He was married November 30, 1892, to Julia Johnson, of Roches- ter, and this union has been blessed with seven children: Emma,

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Harold, Eda, Meta, Ervin, Paul and Esther, all of whom are at home.

Edwin W. Marsh, treasurer and manager of the Austin Ce- ment, Stone and Tile Company, was born in Mason City, Iowa, April 2, 1867, there received his education, and then took up con- tracting and building at Mason City, following this for ten years, at the end of which time he entered into the retail meat business for four years. He came to Austin and took up the meat business here for ten years, after which he became interested in eement prodnets, and helped to organize the company with which he is at the present time connected. Mr. Marsh resides at the corner of College and Greenwich streets. While in Mason City he served five years as a member of Company A, Sixth Regiment, I. N. G., and for four years served as chairman of the Democratie County Committee of Cerro Gordo county, Iowa. He was married Feb- ruary 7. 1888, at Mason City, to Esther Hurlbert, and this union has been blessed with one daughter, Beryl E., born August 31, 1889, now a school teacher. The family faith is that of the Bap- tist church.

C. H. Metgaarden, a Lansing township farmer, now living in the city of Austin, was born in Norway in 1845, came to America in 1887, located in Ward county, Iowa, and there remained until 1903, when he came to Lansing township and purchased the Jen- sen farm. Later he took up his abode in Austin. He married Mary Knudtson, and they have four children: Holiver; Rena, now Mrs. Jacobson; Kannte and Christianna.

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The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated, Part 86

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