USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 50
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Peter G. Nelson, a leading farmer of Hector township, is a splendid example of what a poor boy from a foreign country may by hard work, industry, sturdiness and intelligence accomplish amid the splendid opportunity of the United States. He has de- veloped a good farm, and many of the farm houses, barns and vil- lage residences in this part of the country testify to the fidelity with which he has labored. He was born in Hessleholm, Christian- stad, Sweden, March 15, 1860, son of Nels Gortz and Hannah Madson. his wife, substantial farmers of that place. The father served twenty years in the Royal Swedish army and died in 1907 : the mother died in 1904. The children in the family were as fol- lows: Nellie, now Mrs. J. G. Carlson. of St. Paul ; Nels, of Afton, Washington county, this state : Mary, of Sweden : Martin, a farmer of Heetor township, who married Hattie Tagner; Ellen, who died in Sweden the year she was confirmed ; Peter G., the subject of this sketch, and John, a veteran of the Royal Swedish army, now liv- ing retired in that country. Peter G. Nelson received his educa- tion in his native parish and as a youth learned the carpenter trade. In 1887 he came to America and worked at his trade until 1894, when he came to Hector and followed a similar occupation. He is now engaged extensively in general contracting and ear-
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penter work. In 1907 he bought an eighty-acre farm in section 30, lector township, which he has brought to a high stage of enltiva- tion and where he now lives. Mr. Nelson married. May 17, 1893, Mary Person. likewise of Hessleholm, Sweden, born June 23, 1865, daughter of Per Person, and his wife Elna (Monson) Person. also natives of that parish, who came to America in 1887, locating in St. Paul, where the father now lives, and where the mother died March 17, 1903. In the Person family there were five children : Mary, wife of Peter G. Nelson; Paul, of St. Paul, married to Jennie Jackson, Arthur, cigarmaker, of California: Ida, of St. Paul, married to George R. Sisson ; Ella, of St. Paul, and Gotfred, of St. Paul, married to Nannie B. Bjørklund. Mr. and Mrs. Nel- son have four sturdy sons: Ilarold E., born May 9. 1894, who works with his father: Albert L .. born April 10, 1896: Elmer G., born October 25. 1902, and (linton W., born December 5, 1904. Albert L. married Elsie Hedtka, and they have one child. Howard, born May 13, 1904. The family faith is that of the Swedish Luth- eran church.
John G. Nelson, for many years a progressive farmer of Ren- ville county, was born September 16, 1842, in Sweden, son of Nils Ingmanson and Elna (Johnson), farmers who lived and died in that country. In their family were seven children: Anna, Mons. JJohn, Hannah, Jon. Thomas and Betty. John G. left Sweden first and a few years later lon, Thomas and Betty came to America. John G. came to America in 1869 with his wife. coming by steamer to Quebec and then going to St. Paul. He went to Afton. where he worked in a saw mill until he could earn enough money to buy a farm. His wife worked out in various families. Finally he bought a farm of forty acres in Wash- ington county, Woodbury township, where he lived for seventeen years. He built a frame house and began farming with a team of horses. In 1887 he moved to Renville county and located in Melville township, in section 1, purchasing 160 acres of rail- road land. The first year he lived in the barn and began build- ing a house. The nearest market was at Hutchinson. Wood was scarce and twisted hay was used for wood. He had two pair of oxen and an old team of horses. One day when returning from a trip to market a snow storm came up and he lost his way when four miles From home. Finally he allowed the horses to find the way and they arrived home in safety. Mr. Nelson has improved his farm and increased it to 320 acres. He has built a modern house and a barn 52 by 38 feet, ceiled inside with double wall around. He also erected a hay barn, 34 by 36 feet. He made a specialty of raising Duroe-Jersey hogs, Shorthorn cattle and Hamiltonian horses, having the finest driving team in the county. Mr. Nelson still owns the old home place in Washington county, renting it and keeping it in good condition. He was one of the
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first stockholders of the Farmers' Elevator Company, of Hector. lle has also held the office of road overseer. He is a trustee and deacon of the Swedish Lutheran church of Hector and helped build this church. In 1912 Mr. Nelson moved to the village of Hector, where he erected a splendid home. Mr. Nelson was mar- ried in Sweden to Elua Trulson, born June 8, 1845, daughter of Tuls Holmquist, who was a blacksmith and Farmer of Sweden. They were married in 1869. the week before leaving for America, she being the only one of her family to come to the United States. They came by steamer to Quebec and traveled on to Minnesota, where they have lived ever since. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have four children : Lizzie married Joe Aure. She died and left three chil- dren, Pearl, Sadie and Lincoln, all reared by their grandparents. Gotfried is a thresher of lector: Theodore, who lives in Ward county, North Dakota, and conducts a hardware store. Ile mar- ried Ella B. Albert. Charles is deceased.
Nels Paulson, a successful farmer of lleetor township, was born in Sweden April 2, 1864, son of Paul and Hannah Paulson. The father was a rabinet maker by trade and set out with his family for America in 1865, he, however, dying was buried at sea, being about thirty years of age. The widow continued on to Nicollet county, where she secured a homestead in Burndat town- ship, section 10, of 160 acres of wild land. She then married Andrew Sehallstrom, a veteran of the Civil war, and they started life together in the rude shanty on her claim. Here they lived for about forty years until 1905, when they moved to Winthrop, where they built a modern house. Mr. Schallstrom and his wife were members of the Swedish Lutheran congregation and helped to establish the church in this locality. There were nine chil- dren: John and Ida, twins; Emma, Anna, Mary, Benjamin, Judith, Betsey and Edward. Mrs. Sehallstrom died in 1911 at the age of seventy-three years. Nels and Betsey were the chil- dren of the first marriage. Nols received his early education in the district school of Nicollet county, which was held in the old log cabin with home-made benches. He had to work out on the farms of the neighbors from the time when he was a mere boy. At the age of seventeen he went to Morrison county, near Little Falls. Then he went to Western Canada, where he remained about nine months, afterward returning to Nicollet county. For five years he worked on a farm in the neighborhood of St. Peter. Next he rented a l'arm in Sibley county, where he remained for three years. and his sister Anan kept house for him. In 1892 he bought a tract of land in section 11 in Hector township, where he moved in 1897. There were no improvements made on the land until he came there, it being a wild prairie. Ile has made many improvements and keeps a good grade of stock. Mr. Paulson was married January 12, 1897, to lda Benson, born in
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Sweden December 1, 1869, daughter of John and Mary (Hawkin- son) Benson, natives of Sweden, who were the parents of ten children, seven of whom are living: Clara, Tilda. Emil, Alex- ander. Ida. August and Ilelen. the last two being born in the United States. John Benson was a farmer of Sweden. In 1873 he came to Nieollet county, where he secured a homestead in Lafayette township. section 2. of eighty acres. Here he built a log house and began farming with an ox team. He was a hard worker and industrious, and in time increased his farm to 180 acres and built a modern home. 'He was a member of the Swedish Lutheran church and helped organize the church of this denom- ination in his neighborhood. He died in 1911 at the age of seventy-eight years, and his wife died in 1908 at the age of seventy-six years. Mr. and Mrs. Paulson have two children : Emery and Ethel (twins). Mr. Paulson is a quiet and unassum- ing man, has the interests of the community at heart, and is the Triend of every good cause.
James G. Torbert, for many years a leading farmer of Ren- ville county, was born in Indiana, July 24. 1842, son of Anthony and Ineinda (Robinson) Torbert, who took him to lowa about 1860. In 1863 he moved to Steele county, in this state, and later to Mebeod county, also in this state, where he bought 120 acres. This he sold and in 1875 came to Renville county and took up a timber claim in Hector township, where he was one of the first settlers. He underwent all the privations of pioneer life. In the early days he often had to drive thirty miles for supplies. Ile built a good home, and as time passed developed a splendid farm. When he sold to his son in 1911 he owned 200 acres. He died December 21, 1913; and is buried at Hector. He was highly respected throughout the community and served in various local offices. Mr. Torbert was married November 21, 1870, to Anna Pettijohn, who was born in Moultrie county, Illinois, March 15, 1845, daughter of Daniel and Clara Pettijohn, and this union has been blessed with six children: Belle, born September 13, 1871, now Mrs. George Marsh, of Brookfield, Minnesota : Mary, born March 12. 1873. now Mrs. A. W. Croft. of Arkansas: John, born May 16, 1877. of Bird Island; George, born March 20, 1879, of Hertor township: Charles F., born December 13. 1880, of Hector township, and Alice, born March 21, 1883, now Mrs. A. W. De Long, of Hopkins. Minesota. The children of Anthony and Lucinda (Robinson) Torbert were: William Harvey (deceased) ; James Gordon (deceased ) : Mary Frances (deceased ) : Alice B. (deceased), and Charles C., living at Hector. Daniel Pettijohn was born in Ohio. in 1810. and died December 22, 1882. He mar- ried Clara Stark, who was born in New York state April 14. 1818. and died in May. 1894. In the Family there were nine children : Robert (deceased ) : Helen (dereased ) ; Jahiel (deceased) ; Har-
Typ NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR. LENOX IND TILDEN WYNDATIONS
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MR. AND MRS, FLOYD HOUCK
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riet (deceased) ; Anna; Silas (deceased) ; Benjamin, living in Iowa ; Christopher (deceased) : Alice (deceased).
Charles F. Torbert, a Farmer of Hector township, was born on the homestead of his father, James G. Torbert, December 13, 1880. Ile received his education in the district schools and grew to manhood on the farm, later taking charge of it. He now farms 240 acres of land and raises Holstein cattle. Ile is inter- ested in farmers' organizations and is a member of the Hector Co-operative Grain Exchange. Mr. Torbert was married in 1906 to Candace Tennyson, born in Wisconsin. They have two chil- dren : Bernard and Marjorie.
Floyd Houck, a progressive farmer of Preston Lake town- ship, was born near St. Paul, Minnesota, January 22, 1854, son of Allison Honek, one of the early pioneers. Floyd Houck grew to manhood on his father's homestead in Preston Lake township, Renville county. After farming for a time he engaged in the trade of barber in Brownton, Minnesota, where he remained for two years. Then he went to Arlington, Minnesota, where he opened a shop for a year, next going to Winthrop, continuing in the same trade. After six years he sold out and came to Stewart, Minnesota, remaining there for the short period of eight months and came to Glencoe, where he operated a barber shop for about two years. Then he returned to the occupation of farming and located on his father's homestead in section 14, Preston Lake township, a traet of eighty acres, to which he has since added 160 aeres more. Ile has erected good substantial buildings and raises good stock. Mr. Houck is a member of the I. O. O. F .. of Winthrop, and of the A. O. U. W. of the same place. His wife is a member of the Royal Neighbors. He was married October 12, 1889, to Mary A. Smith, of Buffalo Lake, daughter of Nicholas Smith, and they have two children : William and Syrena, both at home.
William Ulrick, a well known farmer of Hector township, was born in Waldeck, Germany, May 25, 1863, son of Peter and Emily Zorn Frick. Peter Urick was born in 1832 in Waldeck, Ger- many. His wife Emily died in 1900 at the age of seventy-eight. Peter was the son of Peter and Frederica (Drewes) Urick, who were farmers. In their family there were five children: Carl, Peter, Fred, Mary and Elizabeth. Fred came to America to Logansburg, Maryland, some forty-five years ago and died in Indiana, leaving a family there. Peter and Emily Trick had twelve children : Frederica, Carl, William, Mary, Adam, Eliza- beth. Peter, Fred, Emily, John, Jacob and Catherine. Of this number all but Adam, Emily, Jacob and Catherine came to the United States. Frederika set ont for America in 1879, coming to Lincoln. Ilinois. She lives at New Uhmm, being now Mrs. John Seivel. William came next in 1880. Carl and Mary eame next.
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Carl now lives in Nicollet county and Mary is Mrs. William Wiłmet. of New Um. Next came Elizabeth, now Mrs. Jacob Schmuerte. Fred came next to the United States and lives in Minnesota. Peter and John came next. John lives in Nicollet rounty and Peter in Martinsburg township. Renvifle county. William was educated in Germany and learned the trade of black- smith. He came to Ilinois in 1880 and worked on a farm, where he lived until 1900, when he moved to Nicollet county and farmed there for six months. In the fall of 1900 he came to Renville county and located a tract of eighty aeres in section 10. Mar- tinsburg township. He added forty aeres more and improved the place, selling it in 1906 and located in section 35. Hector township, where he secured 220 acres of improved land. He raises a good grade of stock and is a member of the Farmers' Grain Exchange at Hector. lle is also a member of the school board. He is a trustee of the German Lutheran church at Buffalo Lake. Mr. Priek was married Jannary 10, 1888, to Sophia Schnuerle, born in Wurttemberg, Germany, November 2, 1864. daughter of Adam and Margaret (Seifert ) Schmierle, who brought the family to Minois in 1864, later moving to Nebraska. The father died in 1900 at the age of seventy-five years and his wife is still living at the age of eighty-two. Mr. and Mrs. Schauerle had the following children: Adam, John, Margaret. Sophia, Mary and Mat. Mr. and Mrs. Ulrick have had eight children : Emily, born June 19, 1889, and died in 1910; William, born October 29. 1890: Anna, born November 29, 1892: Carl, born May 8, 1894: Marie, born March 6, 1899: Margaret, born June 14, 1904: Edwin, born June 4. 1906, and George, born February 2. 1908.
Charles Wenz, of Hector township, was born in Tusearawas county, Ohio, July 29, 1851, son of John and Mary (Gettman) Wenz, natives of Germany. John Wenz was a shoemaker and after leaving Germany followed his trade in Ohio. He was a veteran of Company C. of an Ohio regiment, enlisting at the beginning of the Civil war and serving till the end of the war in 1865, when he came to Minnesota, locating on a Farm in Carver county, where he had bought a traet of wild timber land, and where he built a frame house and farmed with an ox team. his boys helping him. He died December 10, 1907, at the age of eighty-three years and his wife died at the age of eighty-two years in 1908. They were members of the Moravian church. Eight children had been born to these parents: Charles. JJohn. Caroline. Louise, Fred. Mary, Louis and Amelia. Charles Wenz was only about fourteen years of age when he came to C'arver county, having received his eduration in Ohio. He helped his father and brothers break up the land among the stumps and when he grew to manhood engaged in farming on his own respon-
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sibility. He came to Renville county in 1877 and located a tract of land in Hector township of 200 acres in section 19. This was all wild prairie land and here he built a 14 by 20 frame house, which is now part of his present residence, and broke the land with the aid of an ox team. He has since made extensive improve- ments and built good substantial buildings. He has been prom. inent in local affairs and has held nearly all the township offices, having been assessor for nine years, chairman two years, and justice of peace for two years. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and has served as trustee for several years. Mr. Wenz was married October 12, 1881. to Kate Bipes, born in Cologne, Carver county, Minnesota, April 3, 1857, daughter of Charles and Anestena Bipes, both natives of Germany, who lived in Wisconsin for a while and then in the early days obtained a homestead in Carver county. Mr. and Mrs. Wenz have had nine children : Edward, Ludwig, Minnie, Ernest, Clara, Allen, Esther and Erwin and William, who died in infancy.
George W. Wisman, an energetic representative of the modern type of schoolman, has been a vital factor in the life and thought of Hector for twelve years. Encouraged aud assisted in every line of his work by the splendid spirit and united efforts of the citizens and by the co-operation of the students, he has devel- opened the Hector High school into one of the best institutions of its kind in the state, and each year that passes adds new results to the fruits of his labors. Prof. Wisman was born in Pioneer, Ohio, October 4, 1864. He received his early education in the schools of his native city and in the High school at Montpelier, Ohio. Ile then took the scientific course at Wesley University. Delaware, Ohio. His B.Pd. degree was conferred at the Michigan State Normal school. For six years he was Superintendent of Schools at Frontier, Michigan, and for four years held the same position at Clayton. Michigan. In 1903 he was elected super- intendent of the lector public school system. Here he found an ideal field for his talents. The work done before his coming had prepared the way for just such a man as he, and the results which have been accomplished are a part of the educational his- tory of the state. One of the students has well said: "A bare recital of such facts as these can convey little or nothing of the character of the man who, careless of self, has thought only of the grave responsibility of his task as a leader of the children who are to be the sturdy, clear-thinking men and women of this great state. To this man of infinite capacity for toil, great heart and farseeing vision, who has made the Hector school one of the finest in the state, the respect of the parents and the affection of the pupils will ever be a fitting tribute." In all his efforts. Prof. Wisman has found his greatest inspiration in the intelligent. companionship of his talented wife. As Blanche Green she was
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born in Frontier. Hillsdale county, Michigan, graduated from the Michigan State Normal school at Ypsilanti and taught with Prof. Wisman at Clayton, Michigan, before their marriage in 1899. Ever since arriving in Hector she has capably taught in the first grade of the Hector public schools.
August Wiehr, a successful business man, was born February 13, 1866, in Posen. Germany, son of William and Caroline (Nehring) Wiehr. Ilis mother died in Germany in 1881 at the age of forty-two years and the father came to America to Blue Earth City. Faribault county. in 1882. There were five children in the family : Augusta, August, Ernestina. Julius and Rudolph. They came to Wells, Minnesota, May 2, 1882, where they joined an unele, Ludwig Nehring. All began working except the very youngest children. The father married again, to Mrs. Emelia Henke, a widow, and took up farming near Blue Earth City. IIe lived in a sod hnt on a homestead of eighty acres, which he filed for. August began to work for himself and that summer went to Spring Valley, Fillmore county, where he remained from 1882 till 1888. when he went to Buffalo Lake and located a tract of 160 acres of state land, which he secured from P. W. Olson. It was all wild land. Ile built a house 14 by 18 feet and a barn 14 by 20 feet in 1889. and began farming with three horses and three eows. lle now has a fine farm of 520 acres. Hle erected a silo in 1904 for corn and feed for the cattle. His stoek is of good grade and he has specialized in Poland-China and Duroe- Jersey hogs. In 1906 he started ont on a small scale in the diteh- ing business, at first doing work in his own township and county. llis contraets have taken him in MeLeod. Yellow Medicine, Sib- ley and Kandiyohi counties. Two years were spent in Roseau and Kittson counties building a state highway. He employs from eight to ten men and has a complete outfit. By striet applica- tion to his business he has become very successful. He still con- duets his farm together with his contract business. Mr. Wiehr is a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator at Buffalo Lake. For a time he was the president of the creamery which D. S. Hall helped to organize, Mr. Wiehr sneceeding Mr. Hall as president. He is a member of the Evangelical church at Buffalo Lake and was one of the first trustees. He helped organize the Sunday school, and was its first superintendent. Mr. Wiehr was married March 13, 1889. to Ana Krause at Racine, Minnesota. She was born in Racine township. Mower county, Minnesota, daughter of Ben- jamin and Henrietta (Schnieder) Krause, both natives of Ger- many. They were married there and left with two children, Ernestina and Angusta, for the United States in 1860, coming by sailing vessel, being about twelve weeks on the water. They went to Wisconsin and settled near Green Lake, near Ripon. After three years they drove to Racine. Minnesota, by ox team. The
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father died in 1891 at the age of sixty-nine and the mother died in 1904 at the age of seventy-five years. Four children were born in Minnesota : Emma, Ella, Anna and Minnie. Mr. and Mrs. Wiehr have had six children: William, Henrietta, Fred, Alfred, Minnie, and one who died in infancy.
Martin Mathison, a well known farmer of Martinsburg town- ship, was born in Norway, November 30, 1849, son of Mathias Ilanson and Randi (Gulbranson). There were twelve children of whom the following grew up to manhood and womanhood : Ilans, Jens. Corinna, Gilbert, Christian. Marie, Dorethea, Ole, Johan and Martin. Jens was the first to leave for America, coming in 1854. As a young man he enlisted in the Civil war, later dying at the Soldiers' Home. Gilbert left two years later. He lived in Renville county for twenty-eight years. dying in Millelaes county, Minnesota. Johan left in 1864, and Martin came in 1866. In 1868 the father, mother and sister Marie eame, the rest of the children remaining in Norway. Martin was seventeen years of age when he came to the United States. He came to Bergen town ship. MeLeod county, where he stayed ten years, working in the woods. grubbing up trees and clearing the land. He bought eighty aeres of railroad land, which he sold after moving to Ren- ville county. He came to Renville county in a covered wagon drawn by two team of oxen, and located a tract of land in see- tion 18. Martinsburg township, seeuring eighty acres of home- stead land and also a tree elaim, which he later changed to a homestead. The spring before he had made a dugout 18 by 24 feet, placing logs, boards and sod on top, and into this the fam- ily moved July 4. 1876. IIe endured all the hardships of the early pioneer of the unsettled country : his crops were destroyed by the grasshoppers, and he often lost his way in the snowstorms. Glencoe and New Ulm were the nearest markets. Corn was often ground into meal in the coffeemill. Mr. Mathison now owns 528 aeres of land, raises good stock and has a modern house and barns. He replaced the dugout with a small frame house where they lived many years, and fifteen years ago the present house was built. For many years he was a stoekholder in the old Ele- vator at Heetor and served as a member of the board of directors. He is now a stockholder in the Farmers' Exchange at Heetor. He was a member of the town board for years and for two years served as township treasurer. He has also been the treasurer of the school board and helped organize the district of his locality, No. 113. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and has been a trustee for three years. Mr. Mathison was married at Glencoe, MeLeod county, June 9, 1874, to Marit Olson, who was born in Norway, August 8. 1845, and came to the United States with her parents, Ole and Barbara Torgeson, in 1871, when she was twenty-six years of age. The following children were born to
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Mr. and Mrs. Mathison: Octor, born May 21. 1876; Randolph, born February 5. 1878, and died August 17, 1879: Bertine, born May 1. 1880. and died December 10, 1892: Christine, born Feb- ruary 11, 1883; Carl, born October 11. 1884: Inger, born December 12, 1886: Anne, born June 22, 1889; and William, born February 26, 1892. Octor is farming in Palmyra township. Christina mar- ried Julius Fosland, a farmer in Palmyra township. and they have three children, Melvin, Conrad and Elmer. Inger married George lledtike, a farmer of Martinsburg township. Carl, Anne and William are at home.
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