USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 37
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Ira S. Sheppard, retired, one of the pioneer farmers of Boon Lake township, was born in Cattaraugus county. New York, October 8, 1826, and came to Minnesota in 1858, locating in Dakota county. During the Civil war he enlisted in Company D, Brackett's Battalion, Independent Cavalry, and was mustered in January 5, 1864, and discharged with the company in 1866. Upon his return in 1866 he came to Boon Lake township, Ren-
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ville county, and took up a homestead of 160 acres of wild prairie land on the northern shore of Lake Allie, and was one of the first settlers in the township. Hle broke and developed the land and in time built up a fine farm, bringing it to a high state of cultivation. In 1898 he retired from farming and turned the farm over to his son, B. F. Sheppard, who now operates it. Mr. Sheppard was a member of the first board of supervisors of the township. Ira S. Sheppard was united in marriage to Marjorie .J. Van Vlete, who died October 23, 1904. He now makes his home with his son. B. F. Sheppard.
Orrin Hodgdon, a prosperous farmer of Boon Lake town- ship, was born in New Hampshire, February 13. 1850. son of James C. and Sarah Glidden) Ilodgdon. James C. was born in Berwick, Maine, of English parentage December 6, 1819, and died January 26, 1904, at Maple Grove, Minnesota. Sarah Glid- den was born July 7, 1826. in Carrol county, New Hampshire, daughter of Charles and Mary (Avery) Glidden. Charles' anees- tors came over in the Mayflower and Amos Hodgdon. Orrin's son, has in his possession a pewter plate that was brought over in the Mayflower from England, off which Orrin ate while a child. James C. and Sarah Glidden were married December 14, 1842, at Roxbury, Massachusetts. She died in 1906 near Delano, Minnesota. James worked in the mills and owned a mill in New Hampshire, which he lost by the bursting of a dam. The family left New Hampshire in 1850 with four children: Laura, Oscar, Charles and Orrin, who was then six months old, and went to Wisconsin, locating on the Lemonware river, where the father worked in a saw mill at Mauston. Next he operated the mill and later moved to Necedah, Juneau county, where he secured some land. Then he worked in a saw mill for T. Western & Company for two years. After this he moved on to his land, which he had pre-empted, and lived there until 1861, when he set out for Minnesota with an ox team and covered wagon. He became siek on the way and had to stop at the home of George Back until he recovered. Hle rented a farm, which is located between Onalaska and North La Crosse, until the fall of 1862, when he arrived in Minnesota. There were now five children, a girl, Ida, having been born in Wisconsin. They had come to Minnesota by means of ox team and settled at Waterford on the Cannon river, five or six miles south of Northfield. Here he rented a farm for a year and then moved to Chub creek. seven miles northwest from there, where he rented a farm for two years. In 1866 he came to Renville county, driving with four horses, and acquired a homestead in section 20. Boon Lake town- ship. Two more children. Ernest and May, had been born. Mr. Ilodgdon began breaking the land with his horses. That fall he built a sod hint. 16 by 18 feet, papered on the inside and
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boarded on the outside, and covered with sod and dirt. They had two cows, a yoke of eattle, four horses and a colt. This home was located on a lake which they named Lake Hodgdon. The son Osear also obtained a claim on this lake. The nearest markets were Carver and Young America, to which places grain was hanled to be ground into flour. Orrin and his eldest brother started to work ont among the farmers in Dakota and Riee conn- ties, going by foot all the way, in order to earn some money to help support the rest of the family. They had to screen the shorts, a feed for the horses, to make biscuits. They raised a small crop the first year and threshed the wheat by Hail. One and a half bushels was a big day's work to fail ont. This wheat was then ground in a coffee mill, mixed with water and baked in a dripping pan, a piece of this making a meal. After many years of hard work Mr. Hodgdon sold this farm and moved to Hutch- inson, where he purchased a farm. After a time he sold this and moved to Maple Grove to live with his daughter, where he remained until his death, in 1904. James C. Ilodgdon assisted in organizing the township of Boon Lake, the meeting for this purpose being held in his cabin. Hle was a member of the school board and a director of district No. 25, which he helped organize. He also was a member of the township board. While in the east he was a member of the Baptist church, but after coming to Minnesota attended the Methodist church. Orrin Hodgdon received but a meager education, going to school a little in Wis- eonsin and one year at Northfield. ITe grew to manhood in Ren- ville county. At the age of twenty-one years he located the home- stead where he now lives in section 18, Boon Lake township, and built a frame house, 14 by 22, hanling the lumber from Litchfield, a distance of twenty-five miles. He also built a hay roof barn and straw shed. He began with a yoke of cattle and one eow. Here he brought his young wife and here they have lived ever since. He has been an energetie worker and has prospered, increasing his farm to 320 acres and had made many improvements on his farm and buildings. lle raises a good grade of stock. They have built a beautiful home on the southeast shore of Boon Lake. Mr. Hodgdon has held school offices for many years. He was married December 21, 1871, at Litchfield to Louisa Potter, born in Jackson county, lowa, October 5, 1850, daughter of Rev. George D. and Matilda Ann (Pennel) Potter, Rev. George D. Potter was born in Lieking county, Ohio, December 28, 1825, son of Nathan and Fannie (Denel) Potter. Nathan Potter was born in Baltimore, October 29, 1795, and died August 4, 1879, in Jones county, Iowa. His wife Fannie was born October 5, 1805, in Saratoga county, New York, and died June 2, 1832, in Licking county, Ohio. She ean trace her ancestors baek to those who came over in the Mayflower. William Deuel was born in Eng-
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land and brought over in the Mayflower by his parents in 1620. lle applied for land in Duxbury, Massachusetts, August 3, 1640, and was granted a house lot in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. Decem- ber 26, 1645. May 17. 1653, he was made foreman of Newport, Rhode Island. Jonathan Denel, son of William and Hannah Adley) Deuel, settled in Darthmouth, Massachusetts. Joseph Denel, son of Jonathan and Mary (Sowl) Denel, settled in Darth- mouth, Massachusetts. Mary Sowl was a granddaughter of George Sowl, who also came over in the Mayflower. Benjamin Deuel, son of Joseph Deuel, was born January 26, 1703, and mar- ried Sarah Mosher, August 22. 1731. He moved to Dover. Dutchess county, in 1735, and died there Jannary 19. 1790. Joseph Denel, his son, was born Jamary 9. 1735, and died on August 12, 1818. Joseph Deuel, son of Joseph Deuel, and representing the sixth generation, married Freelove Carpenter, and his son, George Denel, was Rev. George D. Potter's grandfather. Rev. George D. Potter was of the Methodist faith and entered the ministry as a young man. In May, 1855, he came to Minnesota from Waterloo. Iowa. coming by ox team and covered wagon, spending three weeks making the trip. and brought with him a small herd of cattle, a small Hock of sheep and about a dozen chickens. lle settled near Faribault, Rice county, Mimesota, and in 1862-63 preached on a eirenit at Wilton and Otisco, Waseca county. In 1864 he went to MeLeod county, where he took a homestead and lived there until 1871, when he sold it and moved to Renville county, locating in section 18. Boon Lake township. He lived there for thirty years and during that time preached in the various school houses within a radius of ten miles, going there on horseback or on foot. as oftentimes the horses could not be spared from the farm work. He bought out the right of his oldest son Albert Potter and made his home here and preached in different places in the state. For a time he rented his farm in Boon Lake and preached on a circuit at Villard and Glenwood in Pope county, Minnesota, for two years. and also at Wheaton, Traverse county, one year, and the rest of his time he spent on his farm. His wife was born September 27, 1826. in Ohio, and died October 10, 1893, at Boon Lake. There were twelve children in the family: Albert, Adeline, Lonisa, Alvina (deceased). Abigail. Martha. Nathan, Charlotte (deceased), Eliza (deceased), George, William and Walter. 3Ir. and Mrs. Hodgdon have the following children: Amos, a farmer in Boon Lake township: Lnella, now Mrs. Ray Noble, of Boon Lake township: Fannie, now Mrs. JJohn MeCall, of Brookfield : Daisy, now Mrs. Fred Pullen, of Hutchinson; Elmer, of Boon Lake township, and Blanche, who is at home. Amos, Luella, Fannie and Daisy have all been school teachers. Warren Hodg- don, a nephew of Mr. Hodgdon, son of Ernest Hodgdon, Orrin
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Hodgdon's younger brother, was also raised by Mr. Hodgdon, his mother dying on the day of his birth. The whole family are members of the Methodist church.
Amos E. Hodgdon was married to Jessie M. Butler Angust 4, 1896, and they have seven children : Ruth Imella, aged 15; Harry Theodore, aged 12; Donald Alonzo, aged 10; James Clyde, aged 7; Chester Orrin, aged 6; Virgil Amos, aged 3; and Helen Louisa, aged 1. Luella M. Ilodgdon was married Sept. 25, 1907, to Ray- mond Edgar Noble, and they have three children: Floyd Ray- mond, aged five years; Dorothy Blanche, aged 4; Marion Viola, aged 1. Fannie May Hodgdon was married to John W. McCall, Oct. 29, 1914. Daisy E. Hodgdon was married Sept. 28. 1909, to Fred Burbank Pullen, and they have two children : Lloyd Hodg- don, aged 5 years ; Leonard Fred, aged 2. Ehner Nathan Hodgdon was married Nov. 2, 1904, to Claudia Grace Headley, and they have two children : Mande, aged 9 years, and Evelyn May, aged 3. Blanche E. Hodgdon is at home. The nephew, Warren James Hodgdon, was born June 18, 1899.
Elmer Nathan Hodgdon, a farmer of Boon Lake township, son of Orrin Hodgdon, was born in Boon Lake township, Novem- ber 2, 1878. on his father's homestead on the shore of Boon lake. Hle received his early education in the district school of his locality and then engaged in farming on his father's homestead. At the age of twenty-one years he had charge of the farm and remained manager for five years. After his marriage he rented a farm near Lake Allie in Preston Lake township for three years. Then he came to his present place, purchasing 120 acres of improved land. He raises Holstein cattle and keeps a good grade of other stoek. He is a member of the Farmers' Co-operative Elevator Company at Buffalo Lake and a member of the Ship- ping Association of Buffalo Lake. He is a clerk of the school district and a member of the Methodist church. Elmer Hodgdon was united in marriage November 2, 1904, to Claudia Headley, born in Brookfield township, daughter of Frank and Charlotte (Ililts) Headley. Frank Ileadley was born at Elora, Canada, January 14, 1844, son of Francis Headley, of English parentage, and of Ann (Meredith) Headley, of French descent. Frank Hleadley was married at Dryden, Michigan, December 10, 1863, to Charlotte Hilts, born at Cayuga, Ontario, February 16, 1846, daughter of Jeremiah and Sarah (Dean) Ililts. Mr. and Mrs. Headley then moved to Canada and lived there until the fall of 1865. In that year they left Canada with their daughter, Anna, born at Bayheim, April 24, 1865, and located on a farm near Angusta, Wisconsin. In 1878 they moved to Brookfield town- ship, Renville county, purchasing one-hall' section school land, which was all wild prairie. Here they built a small frame house. They next settled in Preston Lake township on an improved
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farm. While in Brookfield township Mr. Headley helped organize the Methodist church. He held various church and school offiees and died in Preston Lake township in April 22, 1891, at the age of forty-seven. llis wife died December 31, 1912, at the age of sixty-six at Stewart, Minnesota. They had the following chil- ren: Anna, born in Bayheim, Canada; Jeremiah, born in Wis- consin; Frank and Claudia, born in Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Ilodgdon have two children: Maude, born September 3. 1906, and Evelyn, born February 26, 1913.
Amos E. Hodgdon, son of Orrin Hodgdon, was born March 2, 1873, on his father's homestead in Boon Lake township, Ren- ville county. He received his early education in the distriet school of Boon Lake. The first school he attended was a sub- seription school and was held in his Grandfather Potter's granary. Mrs. Gibson Richards, then Martha Potter, was the teacher. lle also attended the high school at Hutchinson for two winters. At the age of twenty-one he taught school in Boon Lake township, boarding at his home five miles away, receiving $27 a month for his services. Next he bought 200 acres in see- tion 13, Brookfield township, where he farmed for five years and then entered into partnership with J. E. Headley at Acoma, MeLeod county. operating a general store and postoffice, Mr. Hodgdon being assistant postmaster. This continued for a year and a half, when Mr. Hodgdon sold his share to his partner and homesteaded in Beltrami county, securing 160 acres of land in Turtle Lake township, where he built a small frame house. For six and a half years he was depot agent at Puposky on the Red Lake railroad, his homestead being one-half mile from there. In Angust. 1913, he moved to Boon Lake township, where he rented a farm. lle still owns the farm in Beltrami county. Mr. Hodg- don took part in public affairs and was clerk of the townshns He helped organize school district No. 108 and was clerk for six years. While at Puposky he organized the first Sunday school, the meetings being held in the depot, and for four years served as Sunday school superintendent. He was a member of the Methodist church, whose meetings were held in the school house, and helped towards securing a parsonage. Mr. Hodgdon has always been a prohibitionist in politics. Mr. Hodgdon was mar- ried in 1897 to Jessie Butler, born October 30, 1876, daughter of William Alonzo and Mary (Coolidge) Butler. Mr. and Mrs. Ilodgdon have seven children: Ruth, Ilarry. Donald. Clyde, Chester, Virgil and Helen. William Alonzo Butler was born in Vermont and was married in New York to Mary Coolidge, a native of that state, reared in St. Lawrence county. Ile enlisted in Company B. Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery, and served from 1861 to the close of the war, being wounded several times. After the war he returned to New York and then located
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
MR. AND MRS. THEODORE BYHOFFER
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in Wisconsin, coming to Minnesota in 1878 and seeuring 160 aeres in section 27, Brookfield township. He died in 1909 at the age of seventy-one years. His wife is still living in Glencoe at the age of seventy-three years. There were seven children : Lizzie, Nellie, Sadie, Jessie, Lorin, Chester and William, who died in infaney. Lizzie married Charles H. Coolidge, of Heetor, and they have had four children : Mabel (deceased), Burnie A., Leo M. and Jessie M. Nellie married J. P. Nelson, of Regent, North Dakota. Their children are: Eva, Mamie and Lila. Sadie married JJ. E. Headley, of Stewart, Minnesota, and has two chil- dren : Ray and Harold. Jessie married A. E. Hodgdon, of Boon Lake, this county. Their children are: Ruth, Harry, Donald, Clyde, Chester, Virgil and Helen. Lorin married Lena Wadel and they have two children: Myra and Lois. Chester married Reha V. Aekley.
Theodore Byhoffer was born in Carver county, Minnesota, August 27, 1856, son of Theodore, Sr., and Catherine (Bowman) Byhoffer. Both of his parents were natives of the grand duehy of Baden, Germany. They came to America in the year of 1832 and for ten years resided at Buffalo, New York. Theodore Byhoffer. Sr., spent the latter years of his life on the home farm near Glencoe, Minnesota. He died at that place August 24, 1896. His wife survived him sixteen years and died at the home place March 28, 1912, at the age of ninety-one years. Theodore Byhoffer, the subject of this sketch, lived with his parents on a homestead of 160 acres in Carver county until seven years of age. At the time of the Indian outbreak the family moved to MeLeod county and bought an eighty-acre farm four and a half miles west of Glencoe. Theodore received his education in the rural schools of this county and then assisted his father on the farm until twenty-six years of age. With the aid of his sisters and brothers additions were made to the farm from time to time until they owned 240 acres. Hard times came during the grass- hopper years of 1875 and 1876, when their crops were totally destroyed for two successive years. But prosperity followed these years and it became less difficult to meet the demands of their family of eight. Mr. Byhoffer well remembers the winter of 1873, in which occurred the famous three-day "blizzard" of Minnesota. The massive heaps of snow afforded ideal building spots for snow huts, forts and so forth. It was a duty of the boys to assist in making paths and opening roads leading to their school and elsewhere. In addition to his farm work Mr. Byhoffer engaged in the occupation of threshing and worked for several years in the vicinities of Glencoe and Biseay. The brothers of this family relate many interesting accounts of their bear hunts when they were boys. One day Mr. Byhoffer and his elder brother were left in charge of their flock of sheep. A big brown
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bear soon made his appearance from the woods. The boys fol- lowed him into a nearby thicket and carefully watched him until their sister, who had come to call them to dinner, went for help. After much difficulty they succeeded in shooting the bear. and they were indeed the proudest boys of MeLeod county as they marched home with their booty. From 1881 to 1887 he was manager of the home farm. At the end of that time he soll his ninety-five acres of the home farm to his brother and with his family came to Boon Lake township, Renville county, where they purchased a farm of 320 acres in section 31, five miles north of Buffalo Lake. He farmed this half section of land for twenty years. In 1908 he deeded 160 acres of his farm to his sons, Henry and Harry. The improvements made by Mr. Byhoffer upon his farm are of a superior character and refleet much credit upon the taste and pride of the owner. He devotes his attention, to some extent. to the raising of full-blooded stock, and is quite successful. Ile has taken active interest in educational and pub- lie matters and has held various local offices, including those of school director twelve years and supervisor thirteen years. Mr. Byhoffer was married December 20, 1881, to Elsbeth Ilatz, the daughter of Bartholome and Elizabeth (Dascher) Hatz, of Glencoe, Minnesota. Iler parents were natives of Switzerland. They both died at their Glencoe home in the years of 1905 and 1914 respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Byhoffer are the parents of eight children : Henry A., Emma C., Harry W., Fanny E., Inez C., G. Le Roy, Edna M. and Leonard C. Their daughter Enuna died while they were residing near Glencoe, at the age of one year and nine months. The children received their early educa- tion in the rural school near their home. Henry and Harry attended the Hutchinson High School. Fanny and Inez are graduates of Hutchinson High School. Roy and Edna followed the course of study in the Buffalo Lake High School and are graduates of that school. Leonard attends the rural school. Henry A. married Gertrude Allen and is engaged in barbering at Buchanan. Saskatchewan, Canada. Harry married Marie Ewald and is living on a part of the home farm. Inez married Roy Richards and they reside upon a farm seven miles north of Buffalo Lake. Fanny has a position as teacher in a schoof at Tracy, Minnesota. Roy is manager of the home farm and with his sister Edna and his brother Leonard makes his home with their parents.
Alonzo P. Briggs, veteran, pioneer and leading citizen, was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, November 25, 1833, and there received a good education and grew to manhood. In 1857 he came to Minnesota, settling at Hastings, in Dakota county. The year 1861 found him again in his native county and from there he enlisted. But sickness overtook him and he
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was left in Cole county, Illinois. Upon his recovery he returned home and married, and then with his wife, Phoebe Thurston, again came to Dakota county. It was in 1871 that they came to Renville county and secured a homestead of forty acres in see- tion 26, Boon Lake township. Starting as pioneers, they devel- oped a good place and became leading people in the community. In 1876 the wife died, and in June, 1881, Mr. Briggs married Albertina Butzer. Later he purchased forty aeres of railroad land in section 23, across the road from his homestead. He died February 25, 1915, and was sincerely mourned throughout the community in which for so long he has been an influence for goodness and uprightness. Since his death his family have con- dueted the home place, and in addition to their eighty aeres have rented another eighty, so that they now have a good farm of 160 acres. Alonzo P. and Albertina (Butzer) Briggs were blessed with five children : Edith, William, Herman and Gotlieb and Fred (twins). Edith married Gustave Krasean and they have three children : Florence, Walter and Myrtle. William is with his mother, as are Herman and Fred, and the three operate the farm. Gotlieb is dead. Mrs. Albertina (Butzer) Briggs was born in Germany, December 26, 1860, and came with her parents to America in 1867. They located on a farm in McLeod county, just across the line from Renville county, took a homestead of eighty aeres of wild land, toiled carly and late, and by hard work and fidelity to duty became prominent citizens. They fol- lowed general Farming the remainder of their days. the father dying in October, 1892, and the mother May 5, 1896. They had eight children: Albertina, Gust, Emma and Charles (twins), Ferdinand, Bertha and Emalia. Charles, William, Ferdinand and Emalia are dead.
August F. Barfknecht was born in Pomerania, Germany, February 1, 1852, son of Christian and Carolina (Modrow) Barfknecht. He received his early education in Wisconsin and grew up on the farm in Renville county. In 1883 he bought his present place, a tract of righty acres, in seetion 16, Boon Lake township, consisting of wild prairie land. He built a small frame house and straw shed for a barn. In 1886 he bought eighty acres more, set ont groves and built a modern house and barns. All of his land is now under cultivation. He raises a good grade of stoek. Mr. Barfknecht is a director of the Lake Side Creamery Company and has been its president for three or four years. He held office as township supervisor and has been a member of the school board for three years. His faith is that of the German Lutheran church. December 23, 1882. Mr. Barfknecht was mar- ried to Angusta Lohrenz and they have had four children : Henry, now a farmer in Boon Lake township; Albert, William and Adolph, who died in infancy.
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Albert W. Barfknecht, a farmer of Boon Lake township, was born March 12, 1854. in Pomerania. Germany. son of Christian and Carolina (Modrow) Barfknecht, both natives of Germany, where they were engaged as farmers. They set ont for the I'mited States in 1863. bringing with them their family of seven children : August. Albert, Angusta, Minnie. Paulina Barfknecht and Ernest Koeppe, a son of Mrs. Barfkneeht by a former mar- riage to Ernest Koeppe. Sr. They came by steamer to New York and overland to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where they began farming on a place which they rented. There they remained fifteen years and there two children. Carolina and Bertha, were born. In the fall of 1878 the family came to Renville county, the father and mother coming by train, while Alfred and the rest of the children, with the exception of two sisters, who remained in Wisconsin, drove to Renville with two teams and a covered wagon. They settled in the east part of Boon Lake township. Albert selected a tract of ninety-six aeres, which his father pur- chased. The land was all wild prairie, and as there were no buildings they erected a log house 19 by 28 feet and a straw barn. The nearest market was at Hutchinson. The father died on the farm Angust 22. 1900. at the age of seventy-five years. and the mother died May 15, 1903. at the age of eighty-one years. Albert received his early education in the schools of Wisconsin, and at the age of twenty-four years took over the old home place, to which he has added until he now farms 255 acres. He has built a modern house and barns, set out groves and made other improvements. Ile raises Durham cattle. Percheron horses and Chester White hogs. lle has been secretary of the Lake Side Creamery Company for the past four years, and is a stockholder in the Co-operative Farmers' Elevator Company of Hutchinson, of which he was one of the first board members. Ile has been on the township board as chairman and as supervisor and has been township clerk for the past eleven years. In May, 1885, he was married to Panlina Lohrenz, born in West Prussia, Germany. February 10. 1855. Her parents. Martin and Minnie (Borken- hagen) Lohrenz, brought the family of six children, Lucy, Adolph, Julia, Henrietta, Paulina and Angusta, to America in 1868. coming by sailing vessel and arriving at New York after seven weeks on the water. They then came to Renville county. where they homesteaded in Boon Lake township, section 12. securing eighty aeres of wild prairie land. Here they built a small log house and here the father lived until his death at the age of eighty years, about eighteen years ago. His wife pre- deceased him by four years at the age of seventy-three years. Mr. and Mrs. Barfknecht have four children: Minnie, now Mrs. Bechtel. of MeLeod county: Frederick. who is at home, and Helena and Martha (deceased).
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