USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 57
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
were born in Dane county: Henrietta, Wilbehnina, William, Henry and John. Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand Marquardt lived in Dane county fifteen years, and then in 1876, drove by horse team and covered wagon, with their six children, to Renville county and located a homestead of 160 acres in section 26, Martinsburg township. It was all wild land and here a log house was built 18 by 22 feet. They had two cows. Mr. Marquardt was a mem- ber of the school board and belonged to the German Lutheran church at Buffalo Lake, which he helped organize. Mr. Mar- quardt died December, 1912, and his son John now owns the old homestead. The widow lives at Buffalo Lake. Six children were born to these parents in Dane county : William, Frank, Charles, Minnie, Anna and Bertha, and eight were born in Renville coun- ty : Emma, Edward, John, Clara, Ella, Sarah, Lizzie and Alena, the latter two dying in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong have five children: Earl and Pearl, born in Martinsburg township; Florence and Goldie, born in North Dakota, and Margaret, born in Buffalo Lake.
Bartlet Quigley, deceased, was born in Sligo county, Ireland, March 26, 1832, and died in 1906. He came to New York state when he was a young man, coming to America in sailing vessel, the trip taking four or five weeks. He located at Poughkeepsie, where he worked for the farmers and on the publie works. In 1861 he located at Fishkill Landing and worked there until 1867, when he left for Minnesota, going by train as far as La- Crosse, then by team to Mankato and from there to New Ulm. After two years he left Blue Earth county and moved to Flora township, Renville county, where he obtained eighty acres of homestead land. There were no buildings on the place and he built a log house and bought a team of oxen and a cow and started farming. He made his home in this township the rest of his life. Later he moved to the northern part of the township and bought 240 acres. Here he built a modern house and build- ings. Mr. Quigley held the position of school officer for many years. He was a member of the Catholic church and some of the first meetings were held in his old log cabin. Mr. Quigley was married at Poughkeepsie to Catherine Cumiski, born May 19. 1838. in Sligo county, Ireland, daughter of Edward and Bridget (Earley) Cumiski. There were five children in the Cumiski fam- ily: John. Ann. Mary, Catherine, and Aurora. Ann was the first of these children to come to the United States, and Catherine eame next at the age of sixteen. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Quigley: Mary. Edward, John and Jennie. Mrs. Quigley is now living at Renville.
William Powers, a retired farmer and prominent citizen of Renville, was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, November 1, 1837, son of George and Eliza (Lyneh) Powers, natives of Ireland. There
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were four children, Mary, Ann, Ellen and William. William and Ellen were the only ones of the family to come to America, com- ing in 1855 to New York city, where they remained for the win- ter, going to MeKean county, Pennsylvania, in the spring, where William engaged in farming and lumbering until 1868. Ellen married Pat Killen, a farmer. William also married in 1868, moved to Minnesota, locating in Blue Earth county. In 1869 he moved to Renville county. where he obtained a traet of 160 acres of land in Emmet township. It was all will land. without any buiklings or improvements. He corresponded with James Daly, a cousin of his wife, who lived in Wisconsin, and John Warner induced them to come to Renville county. Mr. Daly hauled logs from the river bottoms by ox team and built a log house, 12 by 18 feet. That fall, 1869, Mr. Daly returned to Dodge county, Wisconsin, to get his family, and that winter Wil- liam Power, James Daly, John Warner, with their families, all lived in that log house, it being the only home in the township. Mr. Powers bought an ox team and began breaking land. He also bought a cow. The nearest market was Beaver Falls. Ile lived on this place until 1899, when he retired from farming and moved to Renville.
Mr. Powers held several township offices, having been a mem- ber of the township board, and also justice of the peace. Ile helped to organize the Farmers' Elevator Company in 1890, and held the position of president for several years. Ile also was one of the men who was influential in seenring a flour mill for Ren- ville. He is a member of the Catholic church. Mr. Powers was married in 1856 to Agnes Daly. daughter of James and Mary Daly. Mr. Daly came from Ireland, and his wife was born in MeKean county, Pennsylvania, and they were married there and lived there until the father's death. Mrs. Powers died in 1885. at the age of forty years. Eight children were born to these par- ents: George, William, Jr .. Joseph, Leo. Andrew, Mary, Mabel and Genevieve.
Bert J. Day, a progressive farmer of Boon Lake township, was born on the farm of his father, in section 21. Boon Lake town- ship, December 3, 1877. son of A. S. Day. Bert Day received his education in the public schools of Hutchinson, where his parents lived at the time of his school days. He began working as an apprentice with the Hutchinson "Democrat." edited by J. J. Green. He spent twelve years as a printer working on different papers in Hutchinson. Then he took up farming in 1907. settling on his father's farm. in Boon Lake township. Mr. Day has been a member of the school board for four years. He is a shareholder in the Farmers' Co-operative Elevator Company, at Buffalo Lake, and raises good stock. He is a member of the M. W. A., of Hutch- inson, and a member of the Methodist church. Mr. Day was
THE NEW YOR" PUBLIC LIDIAR
ASTOR. LENGY GULDEN KONTRAST
WILLIAM WINDHORST
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
married in 1903, on Christmas day, to Auna May Richards, daugh- ter of Thomas Richards. They have three children: Luzetta, born August 25, 1904; Vernon, born February 3, 1907; and Orina, born October 1, 1913.
William Windhorst, pioneer lumberman of Olivia, was born May 14, 1855, in Germany, son of Henry and Lena (Lohring) Windhorst, who were farmers of Germany, and had nine chil- dren, eight boys and one girl. William was brought to the United States when he was nine years old, by his unele, Henry Lohring, who had returned to Germany on a visit. He was taken to his uncle's farm, in Milwaukee county, Wisconsin. Here he worked on the farm and went to school. After a time he left the farm and came to Minnesota and began working for the LaGrange Mill Company, Red Wing. While in their employ he was sent to Olivia to take charge of their grain elevator there. This was in 1880, and at that time there were only five or six places of business there: Peter Hines' hardware store, general merchandise stores of Mr. Stone and Mr. Christiansen, a drug store, operated by Mr. White and a saloon, operated by John Morgan. Mr. Windhorst worked for the LaGrange Mill Com- pany for a number of years and then established in the lumber business for himself. Soon after he built an elevator. He has prospered and built up a large business in this section of the county. Mr. Windhorst served on the early council of the vil- lage and was at one time an officer and stockholder in the Bank of Olivia. He is a member of the German Lutheran church and was one of the organizers of the congregation at Olivia. Mr. Windhorst was united in marriage, January 1, 1880, in the town- ship of Oak Creek, to Mary Seebach, born April 22, 1858, on a farm in the township of Oak Creek, Milwaukee county, Wiseon- sin, daughter of Henry and Mary (Schultz) Seebach, natives of Prussia, Germany. Henry Seebach came to this country at the age of eleven years. with his parents, Arand and Mary See- bach. Arand Seebach was a mechanie and helped build the first locomotive used in Europe. When he came to America he set- tled on a farm in Milwaukee county and was one of the carly set- tlers, there being only about four or five honses there at that time. He lived to the age of ninety years. Henry Seebach grew up as a farmer and died at the age of thirty-two years, leaving four children. Mary Schultz, who became his wife, came to the United States at the age of seventeen, coming with her parents, Carl and Caroline Schultz, being fourteen weeks on the ocean. They settled in Milwaukee county, and later near Chaska, Carver county, Minnesota. Mary (Schultz) Sechach died fourteen years ago at the age of sixty-three years. Mr. and Mrs. Windhorst moved to Red Wing and after a half year there came to Olivia. Eight children have been born to them: Jennie, the first white
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IHISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
female born in this city of Olivia, now Mrs. William Scheudel; Ida, at home : George, manager of his father's business interests ; Flora, now Mrs. Harold Bordwick; Lenora, a teacher; Oscar, at home ; Elsie, at home ; and Mata, deceased at the age of two years.
Herman Schmechel, prominent agrieulturist and man of af- fairs, was born in Germany, April 11, 1857, son of David and Henrietta (Kiecker) Sehmechel. The mother died in Germany in July, 1881, at the age of sixty-nine. The father came to America the next year and lived with his children until his death by sunstroke, in 1887. at the age of seventy-seven. llerman Sehmechel came to America, October 22, 1881, and was variously employed for nearly four years. In 1885 he purchased eighty acres in the north half of the southeast quarter of section 9. Wellington township. Thus began his career of progress. By hard work, diligent effort, and sterling honesty, coupled with shrewd good sense and intelligence, he has increased his holdings until he now owns 745 acres of good land, on which he eonduets general farming, and stockraising, making a specialty of blooded cattle and swine and Cotswold sheep. His house is modern, his barns excellent, and his machinery of the best. In other lines as well, Mr. Sehmechel has taken a leading part in the com- munity. He is president of the Farmers' Grain and Stock Co., of Fairfax; vice president of the Fairfax Co-operative Creamery ; manager of the Renville County Rural Telephone Co .; a director in the Wellington and Birch Cooley Farmers' Mutual Fire In- surance Co., and a director of the First National Bank of Fair- fax. For twenty-five years he has been treasurer of school dis- triet No. 109; and for a long period he has been eller in the German Lutheran church of Wellington township. Among the notable achievements which Mr. Schmechel has accomplished was the supervision of the construction of the first state road in Ren- ville county, started in 1911. It is located two miles east of the Bandon-Wellington town line, extending south six miles fro.n the Martinsburg town line to the Cairo town line, and thence a half a mile west on the Cairo-Wellington town line. Mr. Schmechel was married March 10, 1888, to Louisa Tolzman, daughter of Charles and Angusta (Sperber) Tolzman, of Flora township, this county. Mrs. Louisa (Tolzman) Schmechel died March 9, 1889, at the age of twenty-five. Mr. Schmeehel was married October 31, 1890, to Mary Kamrath, who was born in Germany, April 25, 1872, daughter of August Kamrath, who died in 1903, and Caroline (Falk) Kamrath, who died in 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Schmeehel have four children, all of whom are at home. Ewald, born August 30, 1891, and Paul, born June 3. 1893, are graduates of the Fairfax High school, while Arnold. born Mareh 30, 1896, and Flora, born January 23, 1898, are students in that institution.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Simon Hougly, a substantial farmer of Camp township, was born in Norway, March 13, 1866, son of Lars Nelson Hougly and Mary (Johnson) Hougly. The father came to America in 1881, and died in 1890, at the age of fifty-five. The mother died Febru- ary 16, 1912, at the age of seventy-six. Simon Hougly arrived in America in 1880, and came directly to Renville county, where he was employed for a time as a farm hand. Then with his father and his brother, lohn, he bought 160 acres in section 18, Cairo township, of which he still owns eighty acres. There he remained until 1899, when he purchased 160 acres in section 23, Camp town- ship, where he now resides. Ile has increased his holdings to 440 acres, and is regarded as a successful man. From time to time he has erected suitable buildings, and in 1915 he built a com- modious modern barn, 46 by 62 feet. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator, at Fairfax. Mr. Hougly was married July 22, 1897, to Elesa Nelson, daughter of Einar and Thea (Einarson) Nelson. Mr. and Mrs. Hougly have three children: Leonard, born September 4, 1898; Spencer, born September 16, 1902; and Tillie, born April 4, 1905. Einar Nelson, for forty-six years a resi- cent of Ridgely township, not far from Renville county, was born on the Hunsager Farm, Hoff Solar, Norway, September 8, 1829, and died April 18, 1915. In July, 1865, he located in Wisconsin, and from there went to Preston, in Fillmore county, this state, where he worked as a blacksmith. Three years later he became foreman for the Ames farm, near St. Paul. During this period, July 13. 1868, he married Thea Einarson. Shortly afterward they located on a l'arm in Ft. Ridgely township, Nicollet county, where they underwent all the privations of pioneer life. For many years Mr. Nelson operated a blacksmith establishment in addi- tion to farming. He was respected by all who knew him for his kind and unassuming nature. Confirmed in the Hoff church in Norway, he continued a consistent Christian until the end of his days.
Holger Jacobus, a pioneer of Franklin, was a native of Den- mark, and came to the United States at the time of the Civil War. He enlisted in the service, even before he could speak English and in one of the battles was seriously wounded. After the war he located at Franklin, Minnesota, and engaged in farm- ing. While in the South he had married Elizabeth Osborn, from Chattanooga, Tennessee. He died in 1876, leaving four children : Louis Holger, Charles and Mary. An old painting of Holger Jacobus is hanging in one of the rooms at the State Capitol building at St. Paul. in memory of his services to his state and country. His wife married a second time to Ole Tolefson and moved to Renville village, having a farm in the neighborhood. Mrs. Tolefson is still living at the age of seventy years.
Edmund Behrns, deceased, was born in Wabasha county. Jan- nary 20, 1869, ninth of the fifteen children of Henry and Mar-
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
garet (Vogt) Behrns, both natives of Germany. Edmund Behrns received his education at Fairfax and engaged in farming. In 1889 he located a traet of 180 acres in section 24, Brookfield township. There were no buildings on the land or any improve- ments made. He built a rude house, 12 by 14, and for two years lived there alone. After a time he bought a cow and added more land to his farm until he had over 500 acres. The rude house was replaced by a frame dwelling, and good barns were built. Eleven years ago a cyclone destroyed all the buildings and a fine brick house and good barns have been erected. Mr. Bebrus held the office of township supervisor and was a member of the school board for a number of years. Ile was a member of vari- ous fraternal societies. He died July 22, 1914. Mr. Behrns was the inventor of the patented "E. Behrn's Stacker," a modern piece of farm machinery and a remarkable labor-saving device during stacking time. Since Mr. Behrns' death the farm has been conducted by the widow and her children. Mr. Behrns was mar- ried September 15. 1892, to Mary Jacobus, born February 27, 1869, at Franklin. Minnesota, daughter of llolger and Elizabeth (Osborn) Jacobus. She was reared by Datis and Ellen Reetors, of Fairfax. Mr. and Mrs. Behrns had three children: Mabel, William and Maude. Mabel married Herman Splittgerber and they reside on the home farm. They have two children, Evelyn Maude and Meston Edmund.
Henry Ahrens, farmer, was born in Germany, August 2, 1835; came to the United States in 1853 : settling in Renville county, in 1862. and the same year lost most of his property in the Indian ontbreak ; was the first treasurer of the county. Owned an inter- est in a saw mill and flouring mill at Beaver Falls; was a state senator, 1878.
A. H. Anderson, farmer, was born in Sweden. in 1856; came to Minnesota, in 1869: resided at Sacred Heart: was a representa- tive in the legislature in 1903.
Charles Bird, pioneer, was born in Rome, New York, Novem- ber 24. 1839; died in Fairfax, November 21. 1903. He came to Olmsted eounty, Minnesota, when eighteen years old; served in the Ninth Minnesota Regiment in the Cival War: removed to a farm in Cairo township. this county, in 1869.
O. L. Brevig, farmer, was born in Norway. in 1866; came to Minnesota when two years old ; resides in Renville eounty : was a representative in legislature in 1895.
Jeremiah Farrell, born in Ireland. in 1825; died in Franklin, Minnesota, Jamary 22. 1902. He came to the United States in 1851: settled in Mankato, in 1869: removed in 1871 to a farm in Bandon, this county, being the first settler there, and giving the town its name.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
L. T. Grady, born in Monticello, New York, February 21, 1852; 'caine with his parents to Minnesota, in 1857; settled in Heetor, in 1879, and engaged in mercantile business. In 1891 he estab- lished the State Bank of Fairfax. Later he moved to Foley and established a bank there.
Henry Hipple, pioneer, born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, April 10, 1837; came to Minnesota in 1856; served in the Tenth Minnesota Regiment, 1862-65; the next year he ereeted a building at Beaver Falls; removed to Melville, this county, in 1877.
Halvor J. Lee, merchant and banker, born in Norway, April 26, 1859; died in Minneapolis, May 12, 1909. He came to the United States with his parents in 1872; lived in Renville county, was manager of the Renville Mercantile Co., and after 1902 was cashier of a bank in Danube; was county auditor, 1903-08.
William D. McGowan, born in New York city, in 1841 ; served in the Fifth New York Regiment in the Civil War, and after- ward in expeditions against the Indians, 1862-66; settled at Beaver Falls, this county, in 1872; was register of deeds two years and clerk of court.
Peter A. Mattson, Lutheran clergyman, born in Sweden, Sep- tember 29, 1865; came to the United States in 1882, with his parents, who settled at Sacred Heart. this county; was gradu- ated at Gustavus Adolphus College, 1892, and in theology at Augustana College, 1894; was pastor in Minneapolis, 1899-1904 : president of Gustavus Adolphins College, St. Peter, Minn., 1904-11.
George H. Megquier, born in Lincoln, Me., September 20, 1844; served in the 108th Illinois Regiment, 1862-65, attaining the rank of first lieutenant ; was admitted to the bar at Beaver Falls, Minn., in 1870; was county attorney and county super- intendent of schools in Renville county.
C. O. Narvestad, born in Norway, October 14, 1837 : came to Minnesota. in 1864, and settled in Wang, Renville county, in 1867, being the first settler in the township.
J. P. Patton, born in Oswego county, New York, October 17, 1842; came to Minnesota in 1861 ; served in the Sixth Minnesota Regiment. in the Civil War; settled in Birch Cooley ; was sheriff of Renville county.
O. F. Peterson, born in Indiana, in 1852: came to Minnesota in 1878, and the next year started business in Hector, this county ; was a hardware merchant, and dealt in machinery and furniture.
Mrs. Mary B. Renville, born at East Plattsburgh, New York. in 1832: died near the Sisseton Indian Agency, South Dakota, September 30. 1895. She was married to Rev. John B. Renville, a Sionx pastor, in 1859, at Hazelwood, Minn .: was held in cap- tivity during the Indian outbreak of 1862; lived at Beaver Falls four years; engaged in teaching and in missionary work at As- cesson. South Dakota, nearly twenty-five years.
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
Angus V. Rieke, lawyer, born in Cairo, Minn., August 15, 1865; was admitted to the bar in 1898, and has since practiced in Fairfax; was county attorney of Renville county, 1899-1903; was a state senator in 1903-05.
Charles Schaffler, born in Germany, in 1827; came to the Uni- ted States in 1852, and to Minnesota, in 1855; engaged in hard- ware business in LeSuenr; served against the Indians, 1862; was elected sheriff of the county, 1872; removed to Flora. Renville county, in 1877.
Asa M. Wallace, born at Marble Rock, lowa, October 29, 1868; engaged in newspaper work in Minneapolis, 1885-92; editor of the Standard Fairfax, 1902; assistant state fire marshal, 1911.
Nathan D. White, born in Oneida county, New York, in 1822; settled at Beaver Creek, Renville county, in 1862; suffered much from the Sioux outbreak that year, and was obliged to abandon his home; returned to his farm there in 1865, and after 1873 owned a flouring mill. Ilis wife, who was taken captive by the Sioux, in 1862, wrote a paper on her captivity, published in Vol- une IX, of the Minnesota Historical Collection, and reprinted in this work.
Nils L. Monson, an influential farmer of Preston Lake town- ship, was born in Sweden, November 10, 1863, son of Mons and Bothilda (Martinson) Monson, also natives of Sweden, who came to America, in 1867, and located at Cokato, Wright county, Min- nesota. In 1871 Mons Monson located a homestead of 175 acres on the banks of Preston lake, sertion 19, Preston Lake township, onto which he moved with his family in May, 1872. It was all wild prairie land and he began breaking up the land and de- veloping it and built a home and other buildings. Later he bought seventy-five aeres of railroad land, well covered with tim- her. In the early days he followed the carpenter trade, having learned that trade in Sweden, in connection with farming. HIe became prosperous and influential and remained on the farm until his death, in 1883. His wife died in 1899. They had six chil- dren : Mons, now of Wyoming: Annie, also of Wyoming; Nils L., of Preston Lake : Martin, of Alberta, Canada ; Ienie, of Al- berta, Canada; and Sadie, of St. Paul, Minn. Nils L. Monson came to America, with his parents, in 1867, and located with them in Cokato and later came with them to Preston Lake, May 12, 1872. He received a good education at the common schools and in 1887 entered the agricultural department of the State Uni- versity of Minnesota, graduating in 1891. He farmed with his father until his father's death, and then took up teaching, fol- lowing that profession in Renville county for ten years. Then he became a wheat buyer at Buffalo Lake, being identified with the Farmers' Elevator Company for two years and for three years engaged in wheat buying for himself. Then he accepted a
MR. AND MRS. ANTON CHRISTIANSON
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HISTORY OF RENVILLE COUNTY
position with the Plano Machine Company, of Chicago. At the end of fifteen months this company was absorbed by the Interna- tional Company and he remained with them twenty-one months, his territory being from Minneapolis to Aberdeen. Next he went to Alberta, Canada, and took a homestead of 160 acres and en- gaged in ranehing for five years. In 1908 he returned to the homestead in seetion 19, Preston Lake township. He now owns 150 aeres of it and earries on general diversified farming. He has made many improvements and is very influential in the com- munity. He has served as assessor for a short period and did good service as justice of the peace, trying over 250 cases during his time as justice, and while a few of them were ap- pealed, there never was a reversal of decision. He is also inter- ested in the Farmers' Elevator, at Buffalo Lake. The family church is the Lutheran. Mr. Monson was married September 20, 1896, to Alma Betzke, of Buffalo Lake. She was born in Ger- many, September 22, 1876, and came to America with her par- ents, in 1881. They located at Brownton, Minn .. the father dying the following week, after their arrival. The mother is still living at Brownton.
Anton Christianson, a retired farmer of Palmyra township, was born in Norway, July 13, 1830, son of Christian and Martha Jacobson. They were farmers and lived and died in Norway, the father at the age of sixty years in 1860 and the mother at an advanced age in 1870. There were seven children in the family : Anton, Solomon, Jacob, Carl A., Martin, Mary, Eliza- beth. Anton was the oldest and the first one to leave for America, leaving in 1868 with his wife Johanna and three children, aged eight, six and three years respectively. They came by sailing vessel, the voyage taking ten weeks. Mrs. Christianson died and was buried at sea. The father and the three children went to Allamakee county, lowa, where he remained four years, working at whatever he could find and where he purchased forty aeres of land. In 1872 he moved to Minnesota, driving an ox team and being three weeks on the trip. He seeured a homestead in Ren- ville county, Palmyra township, seetion 14. It was all wild land and the family lived in the wagon for a few weeks until a sod house was built. It contained two rooms and was 22 by 12 feet. Here he began breaking the land with the ox team and hauled his grain to Redwood Falls and Hutchinson. He sold his first erop at Glencoe and received seventy-three cents per bushel. The grasshoppers destroyed his second, third and fourth erops. He owned three or four eows which he had brought with him from Towa. Once, in 1873, he became lost in a snow storm and was out two days before he found shelter. By hard work and indus- try he developed his farm and now owns 300 acres of land. The sod house was replaced with a small one-story frame house 16 by
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