Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 171

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago, G.A.Ogle
Number of Pages: 1432

USA > North Dakota > Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life > Part 171

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Mr. Barker was married, in Pennsylvania, on June 12, 1866, to Maria J. Toles, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and died in 1895. Mr. Barker was married to Mrs. Lou M. Kendall, of Minne- apolis, Minnesota, in 1897. Mr. Barker is a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity, having entered that brotherhood in 1873.

MATHIAS WILTSCHKO, proprietor of one of the fine farms of township 147, range 67, in Foster county, is one of the men in whose coming to that region all who honor honest industry and good citizenship can rejoice. He has labored earnestly to advance the interests of his community and has acquired a comfortable competence and an enviable reputation.

Our subject was born in Austria, December 1, 1845. His father, John Wiltschko, was a tanner by trade, and came to America in 1854, and settled in

Wisconsin, where he followed his trade and was well to do. He also took government land in Wis- consin and engaged in farming, and his deatlı oc- curred in 1878.

Our subject was the second in order of birth in a family of four children, and was raised on a farm in pioneer days and received a limited school- ing. He left home at the age of twenty-three years and went to Michigan, where he worked in a blast furnace, and also did some carpenter work for about five years and then followed the life of a fisherman and lost three thousand dollars, aside from the hard work which he did, and then returned to Wisconsin and spent five years there at the car- penter's trade. He went to North Dakota in 1882 and entered claim to government land in township 147, range 67. He followed well drilling part of the time in Wisconsin and continued in the same line for about a year after taking up his residence in Dakota. His family joined him in the new home in 1883 and he built a sod shanty and a sod barn on the farm and began farming, but was without means. He followed farming until 1886, when he went to Montana and followed carpenter work there five years, and in June, 1891, returned to farming in Dakota. He is now the owner of six hundred and forty acres of land, about five hundred and twenty acres of which is under cultivation, and he has a pleasant estate. Forest trees enhance the beauty of the farm as well as its value, and he has all necessary equipments and stock for the assurance of a comfortable income.

Our subject was married at the age of twenty- three years, to Miss Margarette Kuplik, who was born and raised in Bohemia, Austria, and came to America in 1867. Her father was a farmer hy oc- cupation. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wiltschko, as follows: William and August. The elder was born in Michigan and the younger in Wisconsin. Mr. Wiltschko is a member of the Masonic fraternity and Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is a gentleman of progressive ideas and takes an active interest in the welfare of his township and county, and has served as county as- sessor two terms. Politically he advocates free silver and stands stanchly for his principles.

HON. WILLIAM J. WATTS, residing on sec- tion 34. township 164, range 54. in St. Joseph town- ship, is one of the well-to-do and energetic men of Pembina county. He owns and operates three hun- dred and twenty acres of land and has accumulated his fortune by dint of his own earnest efforts.

Our subject was born in London, England, March 31, 1849; and is the oldest in a family of five children born to William and Maria (Cole) Watts, natives, respectively, of Northampton and Devon- shire, England, both of whom are deceased. The parents died each at the age of eighty-two years, and are laid to rest in Hyde Park cemetery.

When our subject was about ten years of age the

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father settled in Ontario, Canada, and there began farming, and as he has been employed as foreign sorter for fifteen years, farming was entirely new to him and was likewise a strange life to our sub- ject. He assisted on the home farm, however, until nineteen years of age, when he entered the employ of Ludgate Lumber Company, of Peterboro, On- tario, and remained with them twelve years, and in 1878 went to California and in the spring of 1879 visited his brother-in-law in Pembina county, and while there entered claim to the land which he now owns, and was on of the earliest prairie settlers. He built a temporary log house and stable and worked in the lumber woods and at odd jobs, but was compelled to begin farming in debt for machin- ery. He erected a substantial and modern residence in 1897 and enjoys the comforts of rural life and has a good farmi in every particular.

Mr. Watts was married, in 1880, to Mary J. Johnson. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Watts, named as follows: Herbert E., Ward E. and Nora. Mr. Watts assisted in the organi- zation of his township and has served in most of the important offices of the township, including clerk and notary public. He was eleven years on the township school board as clerk and chairman. As proof of the confidence placed in him he was elected a state representative in 1898 and while serv- ing was chairman of the joint committee and also the committee on charitable institutions and served as a member of the engrossment, highway, bridges and ferries, six in all, and military committee and committee on municipal corporations. He is' a stanch Republican and is a member of the Masonic fraternity and Independent Order of Foresters.

JUDGE ANDREW L. FREEGORD, one of the most popular and influential citizens of Nel- son county, has held the office of county judge for many years, and is a gentleman of broad mind, intelligent and progressive and thoroughly awake to the needs of his community. He was born on the farm Klevan, Stordalen, north Trondhjems Amt, Norway, June 24, 1856. He was the only child born to Lars and Ingeborg (or Emily) Fri- gord. The father died when our subject was two years of age, on the passage to America, and his resting place was in the waters of the St. Law- rence gulf. The mother and son went direct to Red Wing, Minnesota, and the mother was left without support in a destitute condition, worked hard to earn a livelihood for herself and boy. She later married Mr. Lindstrom, and they made a home in Goodhue county, Minnesota, and there our subject was reared to farm labor. When he was eighteen years of age he entered the St. Anskarius Academy at Carver, Minnesota, and at the age of twenty years began teaching and entered St. Gustavus Adolphus College, at St. Peter, and then taught school until 1882, when he went to Lari- more and engaged in clerking in a store and also

took land in section 17, in Lee township, in what is now Nelson county, and in the fall of 1882, at a cost of twenty-six dollars per load for hauling of lumber, built a small frame house, and he was the first settler of Lee township on the prairie. The following spring he was appointed notary public, and also located settlers and made loans for East- ern parties and then entered final proofs and con- tests. The same spring he made final proofs on his own farm, and in the fall of 1883 began the development of the place. He served as notary pub- lic eight years and county justice six years, and assisted in the organization of the township for both civil and school purposes. He was elected county judge in 1892 and re-elected in 1894, 1896 and 1898. He now owns five hundred and twenty acres of land in Nelson county, most of which lie operates by hired help.

Our subject was married, in the summer of 1882, to Miss Sigri Kristoferson, who was born in the same locality as Mr. Freegord. Seven children have been born to bless their home, named as follows: Lorenze; Soren; Joel, deceased ; Philip E .; Joel W .; Genevieve E .; and Manilla V. Mr. Freegord is a member of the Lutheran church and politically is a Populist. He is one of the best known and most highly esteemed men of Nelson county, and well merits his high standing and success.

REV. FREDRICK J. BERGMANN, pastor of Gardar congregation of the Icelandic Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran church of America, is a gen- tleman of the highest intelligence and is possessed of excellent education and an earnest desire to serve those among whom he labors. His many friends will be glad to see his portrait in connection with this sketch. He was born in Akureyri, Iceland, April 15, 1858, and was the elder of two children born to Jon and Haldora ( Bessason) Bergmann, both of whom now reside with our subject.

Our subject was reared to farm work, but de- voted much time to study and entered a Latin school, when he began investigation regarding the New World, and accordingly emigrated to America in 1875, landing at New York. He went to Toronto, Canada, and worked at railroading there and then went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he was em- ployed at farm labor and from thence went to Shewano, Wisconsin. He passed the winter there with Rev. Paul Thorlaksson, the pioneer Icelandic minister of America, and through his influence he entered the Lutheran College in Decorah, Iowa, in the fall of 1876, and graduated with the degree of B. A. in 1881. He then began teaching and was engaged most of the time in Goodhue county, Minnesota. He came to Pembina county, North Dakota, in the spring of 1882, and in company with E. H. Bergman, established a general store at Gardar, and was there one year, during which time he decided to study for the ministry, and he accord-

REV. F. J. BERGMANN.

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ingly went to Christiania, Norway, and studied there two years in the University of Norway, and in 1885 went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and took a theological course at Mt. Ary Theological Sem- inary, and there was ordained a minister, June 17, 1886, and was at once placed in charge of Gardar congregation. This congregation had been served since 1883 by Rev. H. B. Thorgrinson. Our subject began work with these two congregations at Gardar and Mountain and in the fall of 1886 organized the Vidalin and Hallson congregations and also congregations in Pembina, Grafton and Alma, the last named being known as the Pembina Mountain church. The church of Eyford was established in 1888 and at the present time the following churches are under the immediate charge of our subject : Gardar, with a congregation of one hundred and twenty-five families and a handsome church build- ing; Mountain, with about seventy-five families and a hne church building ; church of Pembina Mount- ain at Alma, with about twenty families and a church building, and Eyford, with thirty families and a church building. Of these four churches it may be mentioned that they are without debt and the congre- gations are in a flourishing condition. Mr. Berg- mann resides near Gardar and has a well-improved farm there of one hundred and sixty acres and a pleasant and comfortable home. In 1886 the Ice- landic Synod held its conference at Gardar and our subject was made vice-president of the Icelandic Lu- theran Synod of America and held the position until 1899, and has become thoroughly identified with the advancement of his church. He is an earnest prohi- bitionist and active temperance worker.

Our subject was married, in 1888, to Miss Gud- run Thorlacius. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bergman, as follows: Erik, de- ceased, Maggie, John, Ragnar, Lizzie and Erling. In June, 1900, Rev. Mr. Bergmann received a call from his synod to a professorship in Icelandic language and literature at Gustavus Adolphus Col- lege at St. Peter, Minnesota, and now has it under consideration.

CHARLES J. FOSS, a pioneer of Gilby town- ship, has for many years been a leading citizen of Grand Forks county and is an agriculturist of high standing. His pleasant home is on section 34.

Mr. Foss is a native of Norway, and was born June 9, 1850. His parents, John K. and Ceila O. (Lofthus) Foss, natives of Norway, came to the United States in 1860 and located in Nicollet county, Minnesota. They now reside in Chippewa county, that state. Of this family there were two sons and two daughters, our subject and one daughter being residents of North Dakota and the other two chil- dren residing in Minnesota.

Mr. Foss was reared and educated in Minne- sota and farmed for some years there. In 1880 he came to Grand Forks county and took up a homestead claim in May of that year. He was

thus among the first to settle in Giiby township, and has made it his home continuously since. He is now the owner of hve quarter-sections or valua- ble land, mostly under a good state of cultivation and well improved with modern farm conveniences.

Mr. Foss was married, in 1876, in Minnesota, to Miss Engborg Edahl. Mrs. Foss is a native of Olmstead county, Minnesota, and to this union eight children have been born, all of whom are living, and named as follows in the order of their birth : John C., Joseph 1., Oscar O., Carl E., Ju- lius V., Clifford O., Cecelia A. and Clara I. They are all members of the Lutheran church. In po- litical faith Mr. Foss is not dominated by any party, but is independent in the exercise of his franchise. He is influential in his community, and was a mem- ber of the first board of supervisors and held the office of assessor three terms. He assisted in the organization of the township and is well versed in the history of his township and county from its earliest settlement. He has prospered by virtue of his own industry, honesty of purpose and good management, and well deserves the high esteem in which he is held by all who know him.

THEO P. SCOTLAND. Among the business enterprises of Rugby, Pierce county, the general merchandise establishment of Theo. P. Scotland and his father stands in a leading place. Mr. Scotland has been identified with the financial and social development of the town for five years, and is one of the most prominent and highly esteemed citizens of Pierce county.

Our subject was born at Calmar, Iowa, No- vember 21, 1868. His father, P. T. Scotland, was born in Norway and came to America when a child of three years of age. He was a general merchant and implement dealer and traveling salesman. Our subject is the eldest in a family of six children and was raised at Albert Lee, Minnesota, until fifteen years of age, when the family removed to North Dakota. Our subject attended the village schools until fourteen years of age and moved with his parents from Mayville, North Dakota, to Nelson county, North Dakota, in 1884, and they followed farming there until 1890, our subject remaining on the home farm. From 1891-95 he clerked in a general store at Lakota and was also bookkeeper, and in 1895 went to Rugby and established a gen- eral store in partnership with O. T. Tofsrud. Our subject soon became sole owner of the business and has since continued the business in partnership with his father. The store was opened August 28, 1895, on the corner of Maine and Second streets, and January 1, 1900, they moved to their present location, and now conduct the largest general store in the town. They carry a complete .line of general merchandise and also farm implements and the business steadily increases and success is as- sured.

Our subject was married, in 1896, to Miss Clara

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Helland. Mr. Scotland was active in the organ- ization of the town of Rugby and was chairman of the first board of trustees. He is a Republican in political sentiment and is active in the affairs of his party.

EDWARD E. PRIEST. A prominent position as a member of the farming community of fowner county is held by the gentleman above named. He resides in section 10 of township 157, range 66, and conducts a farm of fifteen hundred acres which is owned by himself and his brother-in-law.

Our subject was born in Ralls county, Mis- souri, December 13, 1860. He is the youngest of three children now living born to John A. and Saralı (Huston) Priest. The mother died when our subject was about three years of age and the father later re-married. The father was a success- ful farmer, and our subject remained at home until his twenty-second year, when, in the spring of 1883. he went to North Dakota. He stopped a short time at Larimore and about the last of May arrived at Towner county and took a tree claim and pre- emption which is a part of the farm he now oper- ates. A temporary shanty was erected on the land and our subject lived the first year with the Con- yer brothers. He returned to his home in the spring of 1884 and with four horses returned to luis claim and erected a 10x12-foot shanty, which was his home for about four years, during which time he became well started in his farming. He built a more comfortable frame house in 1888, which he moved to his present location in 1894, and has since added thereto and now has a com- fortable residence, wherein a family reside and keep house for Mr. Priest, who remains unmar- ried. Our subject erected a fine barn in 1893, which as it now stands measures 48x66 feet, and the other buildings of the place bespeak careful management and success. A fine well with wind- mill attached furnishes soft water and the other appointments of the farm are in keeping in every particular. The farm he now has is the result of his labors since 1893, as in 1890 he lost his posses- sions with the exception of the land by the hard times.

Mr. Priest was elected county commissioner in 1803. and was appointed in the spring of 1898 to fill a vacancy on the board of county commissioners. He is a Democrat in political faith and is an earnest worker for his party. He is one of the well-known men of Towner county and has gained an assured position as a citizen and agriculturist.

KNUD LARSON, a representative farmer of Grand Forks county, has his pleasant home in Gilby township, where he has surrounded himself with the comforts and many of the luxuries of country life.

Mr. Larson was born in Norway, November 14,

1854. His parents, Lars and Mary Everson, na- tives of that country, came to America in 1883. They located first in Nelson county, North Dakota, where the father died the same year. The widowed mother then moved her family to Cavalier county, where she now resides. Of this family there are four sons and three daughters now living in the United States, one brother of our subject living in Grand Forks county.

Knud Larson (his name being derived after the Norwegian custom of taking the father's first name) was educated in Norway and served one year in the standing army of his country. He was then employed in railroad work until 1879, when he came to the United States and first located in Fill- more county, Minnesota. There he remained one year, and then, in 1880, came to Grand Forks coun- ty, North Dakota, and filed a homestead claim to the land whereon he now resides. He owns a quar- ter-section of as fine land as can be found in the county, and he has it well improved and in a high state of cultivation.

Mr. Larson was married, in 1888, to Mary Brat- land, who is also a native of Norway, and who came to America the same year of her marriage. To this union six children have been born, named as fol- lows: Matilda L., George M., Iver A., Annie M., Theodore H. and Minnie C., all of whom are living and are members of the Lutheran church. In po- litical faith Mr. Larson is a Republican and has taken a commendable interest in public affairs. He has served as a member of the town board and as member of the school board, of which he has been chairman nine years.

WILLIAM A. MCCLURE. This gentleman is a member of the well-known firm of Leutz & Mc- Clure, dealers in general merchandise, lumber and machinery, in Taylor, North Dakota. Mr. Mc- Clure is a pioneer settler of Stark county, and by his energy and enterprise has gained an assured position as a business man and citizen. He was born in the village of Pleasant Hill, now Wingate, Mont- gomery county, Indiana, April 23, 1858.

The father of the subject of this sketch, John L. McClure, was a farmer by occupation and fol- owed that throughout his life. He was a soldier in the Civil war. Our subject was the eldest in a family of seven children and was raised in the vil- lage and assisted with farming, and remained at home until twenty-three years of age. He learned telegraphy and accepted a position in his native town and in 1884 went to North Dakota and worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company as oper- ator and agent at nearly every town between Man- dan and Dickinson. He stopped railroad work about 1800 and engaged in sheep raising on a ranch north of Hebron and was thus engaged about two years. In 1802 he engaged in the mercantile busi- ness at Richardson, purchasing an interest with Krauth & Leutz, which he sold in 1896 and went

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to Taylor, Stark county, and has since followed the farming implement and lumber business there. Hc later succeeded L. T. Lewis, general merchant, and about 1898 purchased the business of J. M. Tracy, the two stores being consolidated. The firm is now composed of Herman Leutz, Ferdinand Leutz and W. A. McClure, and is conducting business under the firm name of Leutz & McClure. They carry a stock of $20,000 and four clerks are at work aside from the proprietors. Mr. McClure was appointed postmaster of Taylor in February, 1899, and is now serving in that capacity and is an efficient and popu- lar officer.

Our subject was married, in 1895, to Miss Mary Gallagher. Mrs. McClure is well known as one of the early educators of North Dakota, and served several terms as county superintendent of schools of Mercer county. She is a daughter of John Gal- lagher, a native of Ireland, and a prosperous ranch- man of Mercer county. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McClure, who are named as follows : Caroline, born March 29, 1896; and Grace, born November 19, 1897. Mr. McClure has resided in Stark county since its organization and has served as county commissioner two terms, the first in 1894 and he is now on his second term. Mr. McClure received the nomination of his party for the legislature in the thirty-first district in July, 1900. He is active in public affairs and is identi- fied with the Republican party politically.

FRED SCHWEIGERT is widely known as one of the most prosperous business men and farmers of Morton county. He resides in Hebron in his ele- gant residence, which furnishes every comfort and many of the luxuries of life, and can review with justifiable pride his life and labors in North Da- kota. He was born in Baden, Germany, November 3, 1863. His father, Andreas Schweigert, was a farmer throughout his career. His mother bore the maiden name of Christina Karst, and her father, George Karst, was a farmer.

Fred Schweigert was the sixth in a family of eight children and was raised in his native town and received a good education. He left home at the age of fourteen years and apprenticed two and a half years to learn the shoemaker's trade, which he afterward followed in different places in Ger- many until he was of age, when he came to America and went at once to St. Joe, Michigan, where he remained about two months and then went to North Dakota, arriving at Hebron, August 5, 1885, when there were but few buildings in the town. He worked out two months and built the first shoe shop in the town and followed his trade there four years. He began selling lumber for Krauth & Lentz in 1889 and also followed his trade, and in 1890, in company with E. O. Murray, purchased the lumber yard of Krauth & Lentz. He became sole propri- etor in 1892 and now conducts one of the largest lumber yards between Dickinson and Mandan. He

has a good sized office and several sheds and carries a full line of lumber, sash, etc., and paints and oils. He also engages in farming and has eleven hundred acres, one hundred and sixty acres of which is under cultivation and the balance is reserved for stock rais- ing purposes. He keeps from eighty to one hun- dred head of cattle and follows general farming and stock raising successfully. The first two winters in North Dakota he worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company shoveling snow, and had no money when he arrived in North Dakota and by his own efforts has accumulated a fortune and en- joys an extensive business.

Fred Schweigert was married in 1897, to Alma Dichtenmueller, a native of Missouri, and a daugh- ter of Fred Dichtenmueller. One son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Schweigert, January 8, 1900, named Walter. Mr. Schweigert is a member of the Evan- gelical church and is prominent in social affairs. He is a Republican and takes a hearty interest in public matters of his township and county. He is a man of practical ideas and commands the re- spect and esteem of all who know him.

JOHN F. SCHMIDT. Industry and natural ability are leading powers in the agricultural as well as the commercial world, and one of the agricult- urists of Lake township, the subject of this review, stands among those who possess these character- istics in a marked degree. Mr. Schmidt has de- voted his life to farming, in which occupation he has met with unbounded success and is now pro- prietor of one of the well-regulated farms of Ramsey county, and has a comfortable home in section 6, of Lake township.

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Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 171

Author: Publication date: 1900 Publisher: Chicago, G.A.Ogle Number of Pages: 1432

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago, G.A.Ogle
Number of Pages: 1432