The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 40

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Renville County Pioneer Association
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago : H.C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.
Number of Pages: 986

USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume II > Part 40

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Gunerius Melsness, a retired farmer of the village of Sacred Heart, was born September, 1830, in Norway, son of Severt and Olene Melsness. The mother died in Norway, but the father came to America and died in Renville county. Gunerius Melsness came to America in 1866, the trip from Christiania to Minnesota taking one month. Ile came by way of Quebec, Chicago and Winona and Northfield. Ile was a carpenter by trade and fol- lowed that trade in Northfield. He next went to Goodhue county and after a while came to Renville county in 1868 to get land. Ile secured a homestead in Sacred Heart township in section 32. There were no buildings on the land so he built a log house 14 by 14. He had an ox team and two cows. Here he lived until 1902 when he retired from farming and moved to Sacred Heart village. During this time he replaced the log house with a mod- ern building and improved and increased his farm to 460 acres, having had only 160 acres when he began. He also owns a traet of 40 acres in South Dakota. In Sacred Heart he has erected a modern house for himself and also one for his son.

Mr. Melsness is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and helped build the first church. He was united in marriage in 1870 to Maria Larson, born in Norway, Jan. 9, 1853, daughter of Barron and Martha (Mortenson) Larson. Her parents came to America in 1861 by a sailing vessel, the trip taking nine weeks and a half. They landed at Quebee and started for Minnesota, coming to Dakota county. The father worked for the farmers for four years and then, in 1866, the family moved to Renville county where he located in Sacred Heart township on the same section as Ole Melsness did. They drove to Renville county in a covered wagon and as there were no buildings on their farm they lived in the wagon until a cellar could be made. Later they built a log house. There were many Indians in the neighborhood and they passed the place by the hundreds often stopping for something to eat. The nearest market was at New Ulm. They had one eow and two steers. They ground their flour in the coffee mill and used parched wheat for coffee. Mr. Larson later moved to East Grand Forks county, where he was the first settler and lived there until 1902. He died at the age of eighty-two years. His wife is still living at the age of eighty-four years at East Grand Forks. Mr. and Mrs. Melsness have seven children : Olena, Minnie, Bertha, Sophia, Gerhard, Martin, who is on the home farm, and Henry.

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Berge T. Birk, jeweler, of Sacred Heart village, was born in Norway, June 1, 1856, son of Targus and Elizabeth M. (Sndno) Birk, both of whom died in the old country. He came to Amer- iea in 1884, lived in Illinois; from there went to Day county, South Dakota, there farmed for a while and later learned the jewelry trade, then engaged in the jewelry business in Hanley Falls, this state, until 1901, when he came to Sacred Heart and opened his present store. He has been successful, is a skilled workman, and has built up a large trade. He has been justice of the peace for the past twenty years, serving both in Hanley Falls and Sacred Heart. He is secretary of the Sacred Heart school board, and for three years has been president of the Sacred Heart Telephone Exchange.

Mr. Birk was married April 20, 1893, to Selma Dale, born in Murdock, Swift county, Minn., Oct. 2, 1875, daughter of Iver and Inga Dale, natives of Norway. The father died in 1913 at the age of sixty-seven. The mother still resides in Murdock. Mr. and Mrs. Birk are the parents of seven children: Blanche, born Sept. 4, 1894; lrene, born Nov. 2, 1896; Franeis, born Jan. 23, 1901; Zeberg, born March 1, 1905; Theodore, born Nov. 11, 1907 : Carl, born March 15, 1910; Ingvald, born Oct. 11, 1912.

William H. Burghart, a progressive farmer of Norfolk town- ship, was born in Brown county. Minnesota, Jan. 26, 1880, son of Daniel and Elenora (Adney) Burghart. The father was born Nov. 24, 1844, in Milwaukee, Wis., and came to Minnesota in 1868, spending most of his life in Brown county. The mother was born Oct. 24, 1855. In 1902 William II. Burghart began rent- ing a farm in Birch Cooley township and lived there for eight years. In 1910 he purchased 197 acres in sections 18 and 7 in Norfolk township. He built a silo in 1910 with a capacity of 100 tous and feeds fifty cattle. Hle raises Percheron horses and Dir- ham cattle and Chester White hogs, having forty brood sows and feeds one carload of hogs per year. He has built a large eight- room house and a barn 34 by 40 by 12 feet. He has also built a fine granary and shed 30 by 38 feet which was completed in 1912. Mr. Burghart was married April 25, 1906, to Amelia M. Kern, born Sept. 7. 1886, daughter of Jolin and Christina (Prehn) Kern. Mr. and Mrs. Burghart have three children : Clinton, born Feb. 2, 1907 : Mayme Ione, born Dec. 17, 1909, and Helen Merle, born May 10, 1915.

Frank Weyer, born in Luxemberg, May 5, 1865, the son of John and Elizabeth (Siegfried) Weyer, came to America in 1875 with his parents and remained at home until he was twenty-six years okl. He then rented a farm in Winona county and remained on it for two years when he purchased 80 acres in section 23 Nor- folk township, moving there in 1897. This farm he sold later and bought 196 acres in section 17, Norfolk township, where he now

FRANK WEYER AND FAMILY

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ASTOR. LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS

Ploull LLARY

ASTOR. LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS

PETER O. DOSSETH AND FAMILY

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lives. He has a modern eight-room house and a good barn. For six years he has been school director in distriet No. 36. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Company of Olivia : and the Eddsville Creamery. Hle is also a member of the Renville County Swine Breeders' Association. Mr. Weyer was married June 19, 1894, to Catherine Gloden, born May 11, 1872, daughter of Michael and Catherine (Siegfried) Gloden. They have three children : Edward, born Aug. 26, 1898; John, born June 7, 1903; Frances Catherine, born May 22, 1912. The family worship in the Catholic church.

John Weyer came to America in 1875 from Luxemberg and settled in Winona county, where he remained until his death in 1905 at the age of 73 years. His wife, Elizabeth (Siegfried) Weyer survived him and is now 86 years old. Michael Gloden married Catherine Siegfried who died in 1892 at the age of 47 years. Mr. Gloden was 66 years old when he died in 1908.

Frank Hagen, a prosperous farmer of Norfolk township, was born in Germany, August 14, 1867, son of Michael and Mary (Beyer) Hagen. Michael llagen was a farmer in Germany and died in 1910 at the age of seventy-seven years and his wife died in 1872 at the age of thirty-four years. Frank llagen came to America in 1882 at the age of fifteen years and engaged in brick- laying, which trade he followed in Mankato for eighteen years. Then he rented a farm for three years in Norfolk township and bought 200 aeres in seetion 36 in 1900. He still lives there and has improved the farm and raises Chester White hogs and has been a heavy hog feeder in the past. He raises Belgian horses and is also quite a faneier in driving horses. In 1911 he built a nice brick house with a cement basement. The house is a six-room building, all modern, costing $5,000. He did all the construction work himself. At present he is planning to build a large barn of cement blocks, 60 by 100 feet. Mr. Hagen is a stockholder in the Citizens' Milling Company in Franklin and in the Farmers' Telephone Company of Bird Island, and also in the Farmers' Elevator Company of the same place. He is a member of the Catholic church, and the C. O. F., and also the St. Joseph's So- eiety of Bird Island. Mr. Hagen was married Nov. 19, 1889, to Elizabeth Sehulte, born June 12, 1869, a daughter of Peter and Clara (Eikler) Schulte. Mr. Schulte was a farmer of Blue Earth county and came there from Germany. He died in 1895 at the age of seventy-seven years. His wife died in 1904 at the age of seventy-seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Hagen have seven children : Rosa, born Ang. 19, 1890; llubert, born July 23. 1892: Julia, born Ang. 8. 1894, married to Edward Sehnmer, a farmer in North Dakota; Frank, born Sept. 11. 1896; John, born Jan. 23. 1903; Agnes, born April 23. 1906; and Albert, born Jan. 3, 1908.

Peter Olson Dosseth, a retired farmer of Erieson township,

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was born in Norway, Dee. 4, 1848. His parents, Ole Peterson and Christine (Dosseth) were farmers. His mother died when he was one and a half years old and he was taken by his grand- parents and brought up by them, and took their name of Dos- seth. Ile received his edneation in Norway and left for America in the spring of 1869. landing at New York. He traveled on to St. Peter, in Nicollet county, where he hired out to the farmers for $15 per month and his board, which consisted mainly of bread and molasses. He remained there until the next winter when he engaged in railroad work on the Winona & St. Peter railroad. The next spring he went to Minneapolis and worked on the railroad until harvest time when he went back to Nicollet county. In 1871 he came to Renville county and located at Hawk Creek township, where he began to improve some railroad land. In 1872 he went back to Nicollet county to work and stayed there until spring, going from there to Waseca to see if he could earn any better wages. The best offer he received was fifty cents a day. He worked a few months in Freeborn county and then moved on to Mankato and Lake Crystal. After doing a little railroad work he and four others lived on his seetion in a dugout. When winter came he went to St. James, New Ulm and Beaver Falls. He sold his improvements for $100 and bought an ox team. In the spring of 1872 he went north and took a claim of 160 acres in section 18, Erieson township. He put up a board shanty and planned to live here, but two men jumped his elaim and he had to look elsewhere. He finally located on 80 acres in section 30, in Erieson township. There were no buildings on the land. Ile hauled material to build a house, in the meantime living in a dugout in the ground. lle had one cow, one pig, a calf and a team of oxen. He did not have a wagon and when he wished to use one he would borrow his neighbor's, using it at night. Here he remained until the spring of 1912. when he retired and moved to the village of Sacred Heart. During these years he im- proved his farm, bought more land and erected fine buildings.

Mr. Dosseth has been a member of the township board. He is also a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

He was united in marriage to Martha Ericson, born in Norway, and who came to America on the same steamer he did. There are five children : Eric. Ole C., Martin, Marens and Maria (de- ceasedl ).

Joseph Schmoll, a proficient farmer of Norfolk township, was born in Germany, May 16, 1858, son of Casper Schmoll, who was a farmer in Germany, and died in 1885 at the age of sixty and Anna (Knehner) Schmoll, who died in Germany in 1880 at the age of fifty-eight years. Joseph Schmoll eame to America in 1882 and worked out for three years at Mankato. In 1884 he purehased 40 aeres in section 19, Palmyra township and began

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farming with a yoke of oxen, a plow and an old wagon. In 1885 he bought 80 aeres more and in 1889 sold this farm and bought 160 aeres in section 16 in Norfolk township in 1891. He is still living there and now owns 600 acres. His farm is well improved and he raises Duroc hogs. Ile makes a specialty of feeding cattle for the market and feeds about a carload each year. When he acquired the farm in 1891 it was all wild prairie. The present condition of the place is a splendid example of what may be accomplished in twenty-five years. Trees have been planted, a pleasant home erected, commodious barns and outbuildings pro- vided, and suitable equipment of tools and implements purchased. Over 500 rods of the farm have been ditched. Mr. Schmoll has served as township treasurer for fourteen years and was a mem- ber of the school board for sixteen years. He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Telephone Company and also in the Farmers' Ele- vator at Bird Island and in the Eddsville Creamery. He is a member of the Catholic church, the C. O. F. and St. Joseph's So- ciety in Bird Island.

Mr. Schmoll was married March 5, 1889, to Katie Glesener, born May 24, 1861, and died August 24, 1913. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Schmoll: Henry. born May 8, 1892, is a farmer in Norfolk township. He married to Sophia Amberg and has one child, Cecelia. Joseph was born July 11, 1893; Peter Casper and Paul Jolm (twins), May 27, 1895; and Karl Wilhelm, July 30, 1899.

Henry T. Rauenhorst, a prosperous Bird Island township farmer, was born Feb. 5, 1880, at Easton, Faribault county, Minn. His parents were Theodore and Frances (Koonze) Ranenhorst. Since twenty years of age he has lived on the home farm in see- tion 14, Bird Island township, purchasing it in 1911. He has improved the place with good buildings and now has an up-to- date farm. In 1911 he erected a stave silo. 16 by 30 feet, and in 1914, a swine house, 24 by 48 feet. He specializes in raising and feeding stock for the market, shipping about 150 swine, and from forty to sixty cattle every year. He raises Chester White swine and Shorthorn and Aberdeen Angus cattle. He is a director of the Farmers' Live Stock Shipping Association and the Canning Factory and also owns stock in the Farmers' Elevator Company.

Mr. Rauenhorst was united in marriage June 27, 1907, to Marguerite Keltgen, born August 14, 1866, in Norfolk township, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Steinbach) Keltgen. Mr. and Mrs. Ranenhorst have three children : William Cletus, born April 26, 1908 : Murial, born Dec. 15, 1910, and George, born July 23, 1912. The family are members of the Catholic church.

Theodore Rauenhorst, born Sept. 26, 1838, in Germany, came to America when twenty years of age and made his first venture in Wisconsin. After a time he moved to Barber township, Fari-

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bault county, Minn., where he took a homestead and farmed until 1900, when he removed to Bird Island township. He bought 320 acres of land in the western half of section 14 and also purchased the eastern half of the northeast quarter of section 15, and the southern half of the southwest quarter of section 10. Ile lived here until his death, April 20, 1905, aged sixty-six years. He was married to Frances Koonze, born July 16. 1842, in Germany, who survives him.

James Power, a prosperous farmer of Norfolk township, son of Michael and Ilonora ( Williams) Power, was born Jan. 10, 1859, at Quebec. His father was a farmer and died in 1880 at the age of sixty-six years and his mother died in 1908, at Wadena, Minnesota, at the age of seventy-nine years. James Power re- mained at home until twenty years of age. After working out for two years, he set out for Minnesota and from Montreal to Milwaukee, and by train from there to St. Peter, Minnesota, going by stage from St. Peter to New Ulm. The rest of the journey, from New Ulm to section 26, Norfolk township, was made on foot and here he homesteaded 80 acres of land on the eastern half of the northwest quarter of the section. He is still there and now owns 240 acres. Seven winters were spent in the pineries in the northern part of the state and the summers on his home- stead. He walked from Minneapolis to his homestead and back again three times. A frame house 16 by 20 feet was built and the humber hauled from New Ulm. In 1906 he built a fine eight room house. He raises fine stoek, specializing in ITolstein cattle and Duroe swine and has also very fine Percheron horses. He was one of the organizers of the Norfolk and Palmyra township creamery at Eddsville and was the secretary for several years. Ile is also a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Company at Bird Island and in the Citizens' Milling Company of Franklin. Mr. Power has served as school clerk for six years and is a mem- ber of the Catholic church at Birch Cooley and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Bird Island. Jan. 16, 1878, Mr. Power was married to Ellen Hogan, who was born. 1859, daughter of Daniel and Ellen (Fallon) Hogan. Daniel Hogan was a farmer, born in Ireland, and came to St. Paul, where he lived from 1855 to 1860. Then he moved to Riee county, where he lived till his death, 1912. at the age of ninety-five years. His wife died in 1892 at the age of seventy years. The following chiklren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. James Power: Honora, born Dee. 14. 1879, a trained nurse in Minneapolis : Daniel S., born Oct. 28. 1882, a retired farmer, Beaver Falls, Minnesota ; Michael J., born August 13, 1884, who works in the pineries in California : Thomas E., born Angust 14, 1886, a farmer of Norfolk township; Mary M., born March 13, 1888. and died Sept. 17, 1888; Mary E., born May 26. 1889. at home; Margaret A .. born

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Nov. 8, 1890, a teacher; James, born April 14, 1892, at home ; and Catherine, born March 28, 1897, a student at St. Catherine's School at St. Paul.

Haakon Haug was born in Norway, August 27, 1853, son of Christian and Anna Sophia (Halverson) Hang. Ilis parents were farmers, the father died in Norway at the age of sixty-two and the mother is still living at the old age of ninety-two. There were eleven children : Olivia, Liza. Ole. Haakon, Olaf, Arne, Anna deceased), Carl (deceased), Lars. Emma and Caroline. Haakon was the only one of the family who came to America, coming in 1880 to Quebec and then going to Minneapolis where he worked for one year. Then he went to Renville county, working around for the farmers until he bought 80 acres of land in section 2, Sacred Heart township. There were some old buildings on the farm. In time he improved the place and gradually increased his farm, now owning 350 acres. He does general farming and raises Percheron and Belgian horses and Durham cattle and Du- roe-Jersey hogs. He has been connected with the Farmers' Ele- vator at Renville ever since its organization and has been on the board of directors for a long time. He is also a member of the Farmers' Telephone Company. lle has served on the school board as its clerk. IIe is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Renville and has held the position of trustee in that church several times.

Mr. Haug was married in 1882 to Emma Liete, who was born in Norway Jan. 25, 1858, and died in Renville county Nov. 20, 1902. She came to America with her parents when she was eight years old. Her parents, Gullick and Rachel Liete, came to Amer- iea with their four children in 1858. The voyage took twelve weeks. They settled on a farm in Goodhue county, Minnesota, and in 1874 moved to Renville county. Mr. Liete was one of the pioneers of Goodhue county. They secured a homestead in sec- tion 2, in Saered Heart township, where they lived the remainder of their days. The father died at the age of eighty-two and the mother at the age of seventy years. They were members of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Mr. and Mrs. Hang have eight children : Carl G., Anna S., Nellie R .. who is a teacher, Henry I., Ole, Lauritz, Emma and Arnald.

John Turner, manager of the Sacred Heart yards of the Cen- tral Lumber Co. for the past two years, was born in Sweden, Oet. 27, 1873, son of John and Hannah Swanson, who spent the span of their years in Sweden, he dying in 1892, at the age of 68, and she in 1897, at the age of 73. John Turner came to America in 1893, worked at earpentry in Sacred Heart a few years, and then took up the duties of his present position. He has been a member of the village council for three years, and is highly es- teemed throughout the community.

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Ole Torbenson, one of Minnesota's sturdy pioneers, now de- ceased, was born at Sandsver, Norway, Oct. 6, 1852, son of Torb- jorn and Maria Hellebee, who were born in Norway, came to America in 1853, settled near Iola, Wis., took a claim and died in 1855. The children in the family were: Grace (deceased), wife of Elling Olson (deceased) ; Catherine, widow of Fred Sel- mer, now living at Jola, Wis .; Christian, deceased; Andrew, de- ceased; Ole, deceased. After the death of the parents the chil- dren continued to operate the home farm. Ole Torbenson re- mained with his brothers and sisters until about sixteen years of age. Then he started out in life for himself. Among other things he took a good course in a business college at Milwaukee. In 1875 he came to the home of Ole Reishus, in Sacred Heart township, this county, erected a small building, and operated a general store for a time. Then, the C. M. & St. Paul Ry. having been built through the county, he moved to Sacred Heart village and started the first store there. In 1887 he sold his business and moved to Chamberlin, South Dakota, near which village, three years later, he moved onto a homestead, the property being still owned by the family. While on this farm a sad catastrophe overtook the family. A prairie fire surrounded the house, and a servant girl endeavored to find safety in a nearby pond for two of the chil- dren, Ilubert and ITelen. But the fire overtook them, and of the three, Ilubert was the only one who recovered, the other two dying in a few hours. In 1898 the family returned to Sacred Heart, and Mr. Torbenson was employed in various stores until his death, Feb. 8, 1915. His widow now occupies the home in Sacred Heart. Mr. Torbenson was highly esteemed by his asso- ciates, and did good service for two years as clerk of the village. He lived and died in the faith of the Synod Lutheran church.

Mr. Torbenson was married Dee. 26, 1880, to Hannah Field, born Jan. 8. 1862, in Brandvold, Norway, daughter of Hans and Martha (Bingen) Field. This union has been blessed with nine children. Matilda M. was born Nov. 8, 1881, and is now Mrs. H. R. Baker, of St. Paul. Hubert T. was born Ang. 24, 1886, and is now the railroad agent at Sacred Ileart. Helen was born Nov. 19, 1888, and was burned to death March 28, 1892. Otelia H. was born Feb. 3. 1891. and is now teaching school in St. Paul. Ilenning S. was born March 24, 1893, and is now a telegraph operator at Minnesota Falls, Minn. Ilelen S. was born March 23, 1895; Cora A. was born July 12, 1897 ; Clarence A. was born Feb. 4. 1900, and died July 3, 1900; Verdie L. was born Feb. 27, 1905.

Hans Field was born in Norway in 1831, learned the black- smith trade, was married, came to America in 1866, settled at Beloit, Wis., remained there seven years, came to Renville county in 1873, took up forty aeres in section 8. Sacred Heart township,

OLE TORBENSON AND FAMILY

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later sold out, moved to Sacred Heart, opened a blacksmith shop and conducted the first hotel, was elected sheriff in 1888, and served two terms, after which he resumed his blacksmith business until he sold out in 1896. He then went to Audubon, Minn., until 1908, and since then has been engaged in the boot and shoe re- pair business in Sacred Heart. Ilis wife was born in 1822 and died Nov. 29, 1898. There are three children: Olive, now Mrs. P. B. Olson, of this county : Inga, now Mrs. J. A. Glessner, Minne- apolis ; and Hannah, the widow of Ole Torbenson.

Martin Frederickson, a prosperous farmer of Ilawk Creek, was born in Norway, Sept. 29, 1844, son of Frederick O. and Mary (Larson) Balka, farmers living in Norway. In 1866 the family moved to the United States. coming over in a sailing vessel, the trip taking a little over six week. There were four children in the family, Martin, Lars. Mary and Ole. Ole had already come to America. He had come before the Civil war and had enlisted in the Fifteenth Wisconsin Volunteers and had served in the war. Hle now lives in Lengby, Polk county, Min- nesota. The family eame to Montreal and from there traveled on to Dane county, Wisconsin, by way of the lakes. Here the father worked out on the farms earning money to return the loan made in order that he might bring his family to America. In 1871 he drove by horse team to Renville county, Minnesota, on the way stopping a few days at St. Peter, Minnesota, He located on a homestead in Sacred Heart township, section 10, securing a traet of 80 acres. Here he made a dugout. When he stopped at St. Peter he had traded his horses for an ox team and a couple of eows and this was what he had to begin with in Renville county. All was wild prairie and there was no road past his place. Here he lived the greater part of the rest of his days, spending his last days with his son Martin. Ile was a mem- ber of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Sacred Heart and helped to build the first church. He died at the home of his son, Sept. 27, 1902. at the age of eighty-four years, and his wife died in 1900 at the age of seventy-seven.

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The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume II, Part 40

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Renville County Pioneer Association Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Chicago : H.C. Cooper, Jr. & Co. Number of Pages: 986

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Renville County Pioneer Association
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago : H.C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.
Number of Pages: 986