USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 49
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MR. AND MRS. ERNEST W. REBSTOCK
THE NEW YOR PUBLIC LIBRA
ASTOR, LEN Y. A TILDEN VOLVO
423
HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
next going to the American News Co. as traveling representa- tive. In 1890 he bought ont the retail drug store of O. D. Hutchinson, Hutchinson, Minnesota, which he conducted four years before selling it to Ed Nageli. Then he went to Sehune- man & Evans. St. Paul, where he remained one year, and next opened a drug store at Sanborn, in Redwood county, Minnesota, being appointed postmaster at that place by President Grover Cleveland. When Mr. Cleveland was defeated he resigned his office, sold out to Henry Fink and bought the drug store of Dr. Born at Buffalo Lake, Minnesota, where he has been in busi- ness for seventeen years. lle owns his store building and also a modern residence, carries a large and complete stock of drugs and enjoys the confidence of the community. Mr. Rebstock built and operated the Buffalo Lake Telephone Exchange and rural lines, selling the same to The Electric Phone Co. of Stewart and Buffalo Lake, a co-operative stock company. Ile has been village recorder for a number of years and secretary of the Commercial Club, and is one of the leading men of Buffalo Lake. Fraternalty. he is a member of Hector Lodge No. 158, A. F. & A. M., Garey Lodge No. 125, I. O. O. F., Buffalo Lake Camp No. 2775, M. W. A., and Unity Lodge No. 380, M. B. A., Buffalo Lake. The family faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Rebstock was married in 1893 to Marcia L. Tifft. born in DeKalb county, Illinois, in 1870, daughter of Samuel and Char- lotte (Seltz) Tifft, and this union has been blessed with three children : Maurine Stegmeir, Charlotte and Leland. Marcia L. Rebstock died in 1895 after an illness of six months and is interred in the Ilutehinson cemetery beside her father and mother. ller father. Samuel Till't, owned a large farm in Ili- nois. In his later years he came to Hutchinson and moved onto a farm in Lynn township. He died in Hutchinson in 1903 and his wife passed away a few years later. Of their eight children there are now living five: Albert P., of MeGrath, Alberta ; Judge Merrill C., of Minneapolis; JJudge Cyril M., of Glencoe, Minnesota: Dr. Wallace L., of Glencoe, and Hattie Zierke, of Hutchinson, Minnesota. Mr. Rebstock was married in 1904 to Elizabeth Harrier, born in St. Peter, Minnesota, April 26, 1881. daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Harrier, and this union was blessed with three children: Frances, Ruth and Kenneth. Alexander Harrier, born in Ireland, came to America as a young lad and settled in St. Peter, Minnesota, later moving on to a farm in Preston Lake township near Buffalo Lake. He died in Ilutehinson, Minnesota, in 1904. His wife died a year later. Of their seven children, five are living: William, of Preston Lake township; James. of Lake Norden, South Dakota : Alexander. of Minneapolis: Mrs. Verne Booth, of Washington. and Mrs. E. W. Rebstock, wife of Ernest W. Rebstock.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Thomas Torbenson, one of the old and highly respected pioneers of Renville county. was born in Norway, May 30, 1832, son of Ole and Anna (Johnson) Torbenson, who with their family of seven children, Thomas, Olive. John, Cornelia, Halver, Carl and Simeon, left Norway in 1847 for America. They took several days going from their home to Skien and were three weeks on the ocean from Skien to Havre, France. Five weeks were spent on the water from Havre to New York. From New York they went up the Hudson by steamboat to Albany, and from thence by Erie canal to Buffalo, where they took a lake steamer to Milwaukee. Then they settled on 130 acres in Mus- keego township, Waukesha county, Wisconsin, on which a log building had already been erected, and with their ox team began farming. After ten years the father went to Eureka, Dakota county. Thomas and John were the first in the family to settle in Minnesota, coming in 1856 to MeLeod county, where they secured farms. In 1873 Thomas came to Renville county, where he seenred land in Martinsburg township, but did not move upon it until some time in the eighties. In 1886 he built a modern house. From time to time he has added to his farm until it now comprises 360 acres. In 1904 he moved to Hector and retired from farming. Mr. Torbenson has held such township offiees as assessor and treasurer. He organized School District No. 113 and served on its board. Ile is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Palmyra township. He belongs to the G. A. R. at Hector. Mr. Torbenson married Caroline Oleanne Olson -July 16, 1864, at Carver, Minnesota, just before he went to war. Ahen he enlisted in Company A, First Minnesota Heavy Artillery, and went south to Chattanooga, where he did guard anty until discharged, after which he returned to Minnesota. Caroline Oleanne Olson was born in Norway November 16, 1837, daughter of Ole and Gurina (Hendrickson) Olson, who came to the United States in 1851 with four children: Henry, Bernt, Ole and Caroline. Their fifth child, Theoline, was born in the United States. They were eight weeks on the water coming to the port of New York. From there they went to Albany on the mail steamer and from there to Milwaukee by way of the Erie canal and the Great Lakes. They settled on a farm in Waukesha county and with an ox team began breaking their land. Mr. Olson died in 1853 at the age of fifty-eight years, and his wife in 1×63 at the age of sixty-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Torbenson have had the following children: Anna, married Grant Giltner and died leaving three children, Levina Adaline, Arthur T. and llenry Clinton. Clara, now Mrs. Andrew Helstad, of Minne- apolis, has two danghters, Ellen and Hazel. Oetor JJ., living in North Dakota, married Alice D. Miller, and has the following children : Florence. Joyer and Grace (deceased). Oscar is dead.
THOMAS TORBENSON AND FAMILY
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR. UMY Y AND TILDEN ATIONS
425
HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Harry L. is the assistant cashier in the State Bank of Hector. He is married to Eva Griffith and they have one child, Raymond L. Theoline, now Mrs. Harry H. Nixon, of Woodworth, North Dakota, has two children: Kathryn and Harriet. Mr. and Mrs. Torbenson are still hale and hearty in spite of their advanced years, and celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1914. All their children, children-in-law and all the grandchildren, nine in number, were among those who were present. They were presented, by their children, with a gold sugar and creamer and with electrical fixtures for their home, and also with a gold sugar spoon by Mrs. Torbenson's sister. Their old neighbors presented them with a gold decorated sugar and creamer. They also gave Mrs. Torbenson a gold mounted umbrella and Mr. Torbenson a gold mounted cane.
Jacob Mosher, deceased, was born in Illinois in July 22, 1820. The father was a millwright by trade and spent his entire life in Illinois with the exception of a short time when he took his family to Nova Scotia. Jacob was the only one of the family to come to Minnesota, coming in 1840 to St. Paul, then but a trad- ing post. He was a carpenter by trade and helped build the Minnesota House, the first hotel of the place. He helped to build the first bridge across the Mississippi river at Mendota. Mr. Mosher pre-empted a piece of land in Washington county, Cottage Grove township, and built a frame building. In 1887 he sold this place and moved to Renville county with his wife and three youngest children, the rest of the children having started homes of their own. He purchased a traet of eighty-five aeres of wild prairie land in section 3. in Heetor township. Here he built a small frame house, which is still standing, and lived here for about seven years, dying in 1895. Mr. Mosher was a member of the school board of Heetor township at the time of his death. He was not a member of any church, but was well read on religious subjects. Mr. Mosher was married at Still- water to Mariah Shatto, born in Massachusetts December 12, 1829, a daughter of Chauney and Elvira Gillett, Ohio pioneers of English deseent, and widow of Louis Shatto. Mr. Shatto brought his wife and two children, Lonis and Alzada, and located at Stillwater, where he died. Mr. and Mrs. Mosher had seven children : Frances. Jennie, William, Addio, Grant, Laura and George. Grant Mosher lived with his father and took over the management of the place after his death. He was born Septem- her 23, 1867, and was edueated in Washington county. He still farms the old homestead and has added to the farm and erected good buildings. He raises good Shorthorn cattle. Mr. Mosher is a member of the Farmers' Exchange of Hector, and a member of the Equity of Churchill. Mr. Mosher is in possession of an 1812 half dollar which was tied around the neck of Mariah
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IHISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Stevens by her grandfather on the mother's side as she was leav- ing with her parents for Ohio when she was one and a half years old. She kept it till her death and then gave it to Grant Mosher, who treasures it very highly.
Bringel Tollifson, a prominent farmer of Pahnyra township, was born January 25. 1844, in Norway, son of Tollif Bringelson. The old farm name was Graue, the name Tollifson being derived from the father's given name. Tollf. Tollif Bringelson and his wife came to America in 1845 by sailing vessel, settling in Jeffer- son county, Wisconsin, where they cleared up a farm From the woods. They built a log cabin and used an ox team for farm- ing. Mr. Bringelson helped organize and build the church on his farm and donated an aere of land for a cemetery. This church became known as the Skophong Norwegian Lutheran church. He died at the age of sixty-eight and his wife died at the age of ninety-seven years seven months and fourteen days. They had the following children : Bringel. Anphin. Amund, Caro- line. Mary, lohn and Andrew. Bringel Tollifson was about one year old when the family came to the United States and grew up in Jefferson county, where he attended the old log school of the county. Later a frame school house was built and he con- tinned his schooling at this place. Ilis father helped organize the district and was a member of the school board. Bringel Tollif- son enlisted in 1862 in Company E, Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, served three years or more under Camby and Steele and took part in various battles in Arkansas. Ile was discharged at Little Rock and mustered out at Madison. Wisconsin. After the war he remained in Wisconsin until 1872. when he came to Renville county, Minnesota, obtaining a home- stead in the spring of 1873. He secured 160 acres of wild land in section 4, Pahnyra township, where he built a rude home, part dug-out and part sod hut, being 16 by 18 feet. Here he lived alone for about two years, having one cow and two or three teams of oxen and broke up most of the land by ox team. In 1881 the eyelone of July 14 destroyed the sod house and then a stone house was built the same fall. Twenty-six years ago he located his present place and built a frame house. He now owns 240 acres of farm land and has built good frame buildings. He raises a good grade of stock. Mr. Tollifson is a shareholder in the Creamery Association and has been chairman of the board of supervisors of the township. He is a member of the school board and helped organize the district. Ile is also a member of the G. A. R. of Hector. His faith is that of the Norwegian Lutheran church. of which he has been a member of the board of directors. Mr. Tollifson was married September 9, 1877, to Caroline Anderson, a native of Norway, daughter of Anton Ring- hein and Ana (Hallesont Anderson, who with their three chil-
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
dren, Andrew, Louise (deceased) and Caroline, came to America in 1854, being seven weeks and four days on the trip. After three years in Wisconsin they moved to Adams county, where they remained for six years and then came to Blue Earth county in 1863. Ilere they purchased some wild land and made their home. Mr. Anderson drove into the state by ox team and brought with him thirty head of cattle and a flock of fifty sheep. His wife spun and wove all the material needed for their cloth- ing. For six weeks they lived in the wagon and then a rude shanty was built and later a large log house was erected. Church services were often held at his home. He was a member of the Norwegian Lutheran congregation and a prominent man in the organization of the church. He died July 13, 1891, at the age of seventy-one years. Ilis wife is still living at a ripe old age, having been born September 22, 1822. Mr. and Mrs. Tollifson have had the following children: Anna C., born June 28, 1878; Oscar T .. born February 1, 1881; Andrew L., born March 27. 1884: Birthy, born April 5, 1888; Melvin A., born June 18, 1893; Florence V., born July 18, 1904, and Guy Willis, born February 20, 1891, and died in infancy.
John P. Newholm, a model farmer of Hector township, is one of those men who have helped subdue the wilderness and in so doing have made possible the present prosperity and progress of Renville county. He was born in Kronoborgs-Lan Wexio, Sweden, November 23, 1847, son of Daniel Peterson and Martha Christina Johnsdatter, his wife. The father, an extensive farmer, (lied in 1874; the mother passed away in 1888. John P. Newholm received his education in his native parish and became thor- onghly versed in agriculture under the able tuition of his father. For two years he was employed on the government railway and during that period changed his name by the permission of the authorities from Peterson to Newholm. In 1872 he came to America, locating in Afton township, Washington county, this state, where he was employed for one summer. Deciding to see more of the Northwest he went to the Red River Valley and until harvest time was employed in railway work with headquarters at Crookston, afterwards returning to Washington county, where he and a friend took a contract of logging and "grubbing." For several years thereafter he alternated his time between farming and working in the pineries. It was in 1887 that he bought 160 aeres in section 5, Hlector township. The next year he located in this county and still a year later built his home. When he purchased the tract it was all wild land. He broke it, brought it under cultivation, planted groves and made it into an ideal estate. His wide experience has been of great value to him in this work, and many of the modern implements on the place are of his own manufacture. A true believer in education, he
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IHISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
has served on the school board of his distriet and has done public service in other ways. Ile owns stock in the Farmers' Exchange at Hector and in the Heetor Telephone Company. The family faith is that of the Swedish Lutheran church. He was married March 15, 1890. to Hattie L. Walkan, who was born in Linkoping- Lan, Odeshog. Sweden. April 27. 1852. Her parents came to America in 1880 and farmed in Nicollet county. this state, until 1888, when they came to Hector township. this county, and pur- chased 160 acres. on which they spent the remainder of their lives. The father died April 21. 1891, and the mother October 13. 1898.
Ole O. Nordskog, a well-to-do farmer of Palmyra township, was born in Norway, February 15, 1849, son of Ole Nordskog and Gun- hild (Ytterboe) Nordskog. In the family were nine children : Ole O., Thyke, Svennung, Gunhild. Carrie, Even, Ingeborg. Marie and Ole. This last. Ole, was so named because the elder Ole O. had left for America and the family thought that he was dead. Ole O. came to America in 1869 and located in Fillmore county. Mine- sota, where he worked on the farms. The first year he earned from fifty cents a day to two dollars and a half during the harvest season. At the end of the year he came to Decorah, Iowa, where he had an unele, and hired out on a farm for six months. Next he return to Freeborn county, where he remained for two years, and then in 1873 came to Renville county, where he obtained a homestead of state land. He was one of the last to receive a home- stead in that locality. securing a tract of 160 acres in section 18, Pahyra township. He moved on to this place in the spring. and in the meantime the rest of the family arrived from Norway and made Renville county their future home. Hle built a frame shanty, which is part of the present house, and a straw shed. Ile had a team of oxen and one cow and a wagon. and began farming with these. Ilis parents also secured land in Palmyra township. The father died at the age of seventy-seven years, and the mother at seventy-six years. They were members of the Norwegian Luth- eran church. Mr. Nordskog has a tract of 400 acres of farming land at his present place and also 120 acres farther east. lle has made a specialty of raising good stock and owns his own threshing outfit. His son Conrad now has charge of the place and raises Ilereford eattle. Ile also has built a fine residence and erected good barns. Mr. Nordskog has held office on the township board and helped organize the ohl school district No. 112, and was a member of the school board. Ile is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church, and the early gatherings of the congregation were held in his little shanty. Ile has been a trustee of the church. Mr. Nordskog has in his possession several old curiosities from Norway. among which are an old cupboard built in 1779 and an old wooden drinking bowl, which has a raised hole in the center so
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JUSTIN JOHNSON AND FAMILY
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ABTOR. LEIKK NUE TILDEN, YOURTOMTONAT
429
HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
that the drinker could see all that was taking place and prevent any sudden attack by an unfriendly companion. Mr. Nordskog was imited in marriage August 22, 1877. to Iverine (Mork). born in Norway, and came with her parents. John and Christina Mork, and her brother. Carl. to America in 1868 by sailing vessel, being nine weeks on the water. For four years they lived in Lansing. Iowa. Then they came to Renville county in 1872 and located eighty aeres in section 9, Palmyra township. They had a team of oxen and built a sod shanty. Here Mr. Mork died in 1886 at the age of sixty-nine years, and his wife died at the age of eighty-five years. They were members of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Mr. and Mrs. Nordskog have had the following children: Oscar and Clara (deceased), Oscar. Caroline, Conrad, Theodore, Olaf and Clara. Caroline married Herman Selmbert. They live at Minneapolis and have two children. Wallace and Douglas. Oscar is a farmer of Palmyra township. He 'married Ronnang Suvdahl and they have three children, Claudine. Vivian and Engene. Theo- clore is a farmer of Palmyra township. He married Clara Jahr and they have two children. Alice and Rudolph. Olof is a farmer of Palmyra township. Clara is at- home.
Justin Johnson, son of Alexander and Susanna (Mathison) Johnson, was born in Norway. October 25, 1859. He received his education in the United States and at the age of twenty-two en- gaged in farming for himself, locating a farm of 80 acres of state land in Palmyra. It was all wild land and he built a small honse of lumber, 12 by 14 and 7 feet high, which is still standing. IIe began farming with an ox team and has gradually built up the place from a traet of eighty acres to a l'arm of 540 acres. He has erected a modern house and has built good barns and silo. Ile raises a good grade of stock and is a member of the Farmers' Ele- vator at Hector. He is also a shareholder in the Hector Telephone Company. Mr. Johnson served on the school board, and is a mem- ber of the Norwegian Lutheran church. He was married in Inne, 1882. to Anna Gilbertson, born near Decorah, Iowa. daughter of Nels Gilbertson. She died March 26, 1893, at the age of thirty- eight years, leaving seven children : Alice, Alfred, Mary. Nettie, Blanche, Annie and Julius. Alice married George Reitz, of Mel- ville township, and they have three children. Annie, Norman and Melvin: Mary married Hugo Libbeck, of Hector, and they have one child, Alice.
Iver Gerald, a prominent character in Renville county, was born in Norway, October 1, 1851, and came with his parents to the United States. He was educated in the Wisconsin public schools and the Normal sehool at Whitewater and later attended Luther College at Iowa. He filed on a homestead in Palmyra town- ship, section 12, and continued in school work, teaching in Blue Earth county in the winter and working on his homestead in the
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summer time. He went to Beaver Falls to work as clerk in the auditor's office and later engaged in the mercantile business at Beaver Falls. For six years he was superintendent of the schools of Renville county. Then he became a merchant at Bird Island. In 1902 he went to Thorsby. Alabama. and engaged in banking, and died there December 28, 1909. Ile was an earnest adherent of the Lutheran church.
Harley E. McLaren, veterinary surgeon of Hector, was born May 22. 1882. at Portage DuFort. Quebec, Canada, the son of George and Annie (Eades) MeLaren. When nine years old he went to live with his unele. Darwin S. Hall, who then lived in Detroit. Two years later he removed to Buffalo Lake, where he attended the graded school. On graduating he entered the school of agriculture at St. Anthony Park, graduating in 1901. Ile then entered the MeKillip Veterinary College at Chicago. from which he graduated in 1908. Beginning practice in Hector, he has made friends on all sides and is one of the best known of the younger men of the community. On election day he votes the Republican ticket, while on Sundays he attends the Methodist Episcopal church. As a member of the Minnesota State Veterinary Associa- tion he is well known and highly esteemed by his fellow prae- titioners. Mr. MeLaren was married, July 13, 1911, to Lucile Metcalf, born July 14, 1882, at East Aurora, New York, the daugh- ter of Frank and Nettie (Hamlin) Metealf. They have one child, Earl Leslie, born April 4. 1912. George MeLaren, born 1857 at Portage Dn Fort, Quebec, Canada, died there in January. 1892. He married Annie Eades, born in 1855 at Shawville, Quebec, Canada. She died at Portage Du Fort, May, 1910. Mr. McLaren was a lumberman and sawmill man during his life. He was the father of three children : Erie A., preacher of the Methodist Epis- vopal church. of Howard. Canada : Harley E. : Grace, widow of R. Hodgins, now living at Regina, Canada. Frank Metealf, born in 1859, married Nettie (Hamlin), born in 1869, the wedding taking place at Buffalo, New York. Mr. Metcalf is a veterinary surgeon at Momence, Illinois, and has two children, Lucille and Frank. His son is also a veterinary surgeon and is associated in business with his father.
Martin Johnson, son of Alexander and Susanna (Mathison) Johnson, who lived on the Totdahl farm in Norway, was born there December 13, 1855. Alexander Johnson came to America in 1866 and settled near Lansing, Iowa, where he purchased forty acres of land. His family joined him in 1867, and in 1872 they loeated a homestead in Minnesota, in section 14. Palmyra township. Ren- ville county. where he obtained a tract of 160 acres of wild land. A house was erected and farming begun with a few cattle and a yoke or two of oxen. They suffered all the hardships of the early settlers, but as the years passed, improved the farm, inereased it
MR. AND MRS. MARTIN JOHNSON
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ARTUR, LANG BILDEN
P. G. NELSON AND FAMILY
4
NEW YORK IL LIBRARY
LENOX KO
431
HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
to 260 acres and erected modern buildings, including a sightly home. Ile was a faithful member of the Norwegian Lutheran church, and died in 1913 at the age of eighty years. His wife died in May, 1891. Martin Johnson was eleven years of age when he was brought to the United States by his parents. He had already received some education in Norway and continued going to school after he came to America. In 1873 he started farming and in 1880 secured his present place, a traet of state land of eighty acres, on which no improvements had been made. lle first built a small frame house, 12 by 14 feet, and later replaced it with a modern home and other buildings. He has increased his farm to 200 aeres, improved it in every way and successfully carries on general farm- · ing and stock raising. Mr. Johnson has held office on the town- ship board and for the past two years has been the township assessor, having also been assessor in the early days. He is a mem- ber of the Norwegian Lutheran church and a director of the Farmers' Co-operative Elevator, of Hector. In 1885 Mr. Johnson was married to Marie Gilbertson, born in Mebeod county, dangh- ter of Nels Gilbertson, of Norway, an early settler of Minnesota. She died the following year, and Mr. Johnson was married, March 20, 1889. to Greta Hanson, born in Norway, daughter of Hans Formo. She came to the United States in 1884 and assumed the name of Hanson. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have had six children, one child, Arthur, dying in infancy. The others are Adolph, Agnes, George. Helga and Herbert, who is the twin of Arthur.
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