An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 111

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company
Number of Pages: 1146

USA > Washington > Kittitas County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 111
USA > Washington > Yakima County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 111
USA > Washington > Klickitat County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 111

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tions. By industry and perseverance he has reduced four hundred acres of it to a state of cultivation, the remainder being so far retained as a pasture for his more than a hundred head of stock.

Mr. Matsen has been twice married, his first wife being Matilda Johnson, whom he wedded in Denmark in 1886. This lady died in 1899, after having borne him five sons and one datighter. His second marriage was solemnized in Klickitat county, February 2, 1901, the lady being Anna Margaret Stumer, whose father, the late Claus Stumer, was a German shoemaker, who had re- moved to Denmark when twenty-four and had married and spent the remainder of his life there. Her mother, Julia A. (Hoch) Stumer, a native of Denmark, died in 1898, leaving three children. The present Mrs. Matsen was born in Denmark in 1870, and received her educational discipline in the common schools of that land. She made a trip to the United States when fifteen, soon re- turning, however, but in 1900 she came to stay. Mr. Matsen's children by the first marriage were the following: Edith, born June 14, 1888; Albert, on the 27th of January, 1890; and Edwin, born September 24, 1893, all in Denmark; Alfred, born September 13, 1894; Robert, born October 24, 1896; and Roy, born June 7, 1899, all in Klickitat county. His second wife has borne him a son and daughter: Lewis, who was born October 10, 1901, and died when four months old; and Ella, born on September 28, 1903. Mr. Matsen fra- ternizes with the Improved Order of Foresters and the Yeomen and has been a member of the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows since 1874. In re- ligious persuasion, he is a Lutheran, and in politics, a Republican. He is one of the most industrious and successful farmers in the locality, and is held in high esteem by the people of the surrounding country, who respect his thriftiness and pluck and honor him for his virtues as a man.

JOHN BAKER, a resident of Klickitat county for over twenty-five years, lives on his four hundred and eighty-acre farm at Cleveland, Washington. He was born near London, England, on the 3d of April, 1847, the son of Mathew Baker, an English carpen- ter. His father came to the United States in 1859, settled in the state of New Jersey and there followed his trade for two years, then passed away. Priscilla (Skinner) Baker, the mother of our subject, was also of English birth. She died in her native land, when John was quite young. Our subject was the only child of this marriage. He received his education in the schools of his native country, and while a young man learned the trades of tin- smithing and sheet iron working, acquiring his skill in both in the shops of Paterson, New Jersey. In the fall of 1873, when he was twenty-six, he moved to the state of Colorado, and for a year and over he followed his trade there, then going

PETER MATSEN.

JOHN BAKER.

CHRISTEN V. ANDERSON.

LOUIS J LARSEN.

THOMAS HANSEN.

JOSEPH GADEBERG

JOHN COPENHEFER.

GEORGE W. HAMILTON.

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

to California, in which state he worked as a jour- neyman for the ensuing four years. Coming to Klickitat county in 1879, he filed on a homestead there, and turned his attention to farming, but not being yet in a position to make his living as an agriculturist, he moved the next spring to Goldendale. For about three years he continued to be a resident of that town, making frequent trips, however, to his home near Cleveland, dur- ing all this time following tinsmithing. In 1884 he established a permanent residence on his home- stead, and there he still lives with his family. Twice only in the twenty-six years has he been away from home for any considerable period of time, once at Arlington, and once at Hood River, in both of which places he worked at his trade.

In Paterson, New Jersey, April 27, 1871, Mr. Baker married Mary Burner, whose father, Na- than, a merchant and farmer, was a native of Dutchess county, New York, and a descendant from old German stock. He died in the state of his nativity, in 1861. Mary (Jolly) Burner, her mother, was born in England, but married in New Jersey, in which state she still lives, though sev- enty-nine years old. Mrs. Baker was born in New York City in 1850, and began her education there, but completed it in the New Jersey schools. She and Mr. Baker are parents of three children : Ella Mitty, born November 27, 1873, now living at Bickleton; Walter, born in California, in 1876, now running a shop in the same town; and Ralph E., born in Goldendale, Washington, in 1882, at present with his parents. An energetic and suc- cessful farmer and in all respects a good citizen, he is esteemed and honored by all who have known him intimately in the county, and they are legion, for his residence here has been long and continuous. In politics, he is a Republican.

CHRISTEN V. ANDERSON, a farmer living two miles northeast of Bickleton, is a native of Denmark, born December 18, 1867. His father, Christen L. Anderson, is still living in Denmark, his native land, where he has followed farming the greater portion of his life, and his mother, Monam (Thompson) Anderson, also a native of Denmark, born in 1845, is still with the elder An- derson there. Christen V. attended the common schools of his native country until about fourteen, then obtained employment in a flour-mill. He worked assiduously and steadily at this for three years, but was finally compelled to desist on ac- count of being troubled with catarrh, caused by the dust in the mill. The succeeding five years were spent in farming, his time being divided be- tween two employers, then he served a year in the army, as a private soldier. Another year was then spent on the farm, at the end of which he emigrated to this country, coming direct to Klickitat county, where he was employed the first

summer by Stephen Matsen. Soon he purchased a half section of railroad land, which was, how- ever, later disposed of to Mr. Stagerman. His next investment was in a place three miles south of Bickleton. Upon this he lived for seven years, engaged in general farming, but at the end of that period he sold his farm to Chris Larsen, and with his only child, his wife having died, visited his parents in the old country. The spring of 1899 found him again in Klickitat county, but after a short stay he departed for Wilbur, Washington, two miles south of which town he lived for the ensuing year upon the land he had bought. Sell- ing this land, he once more came to Klickitat county and purchased a half section five miles east of. Bickleton. This also he disposed of to advan- tage a year later, and the following twelve months was spent in traveling over the state, looking for another desirable location. Not finding anything that pleased him so well as the country surround- ing Bickleton, he came back and bought Jake Os- trich's place, two miles northeast of the town, where we now find him. His farm comprises three hundred and twenty acres of fertile land, two hun- dred and thirty of which are under cultivation. Mr. Anderson's first marriage was solemnized at Bickleton, in 1890, Catherine Veuxelson then becoming his wife. She passed away in 1895, leaving one daughter, Lenora C., born Decem- ber 3, 1892. Her father, Vensel H. Veuxelson, was a Danish farmer, and her mother, Anna, was also a native of Denmark, where she is still living. though Mr. Veuxelson is now deceased.

May 18, 1903, Mr. Anderson was again mar- ried, the lady being Johanna, daughter of Fred- erick Hoch, who has been all his life and still is a Danish soldier. Her mother, Johanna (Terkel- sen) Hoch, is also still living in Denmark, where Mrs. Anderson was born, May 18, 1872, and where she passed her early years and acquired her education. Fraternally, Mr. Anderson is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in religious persuasion, he is a Lutheran. He is a stanch Republican at all times, but now that Roosevelt, whom he especially admires, is the party's candidate for the presidency, he is unusu- ally warm in his loyalty to it. An industrious, progressive farmer and a worthy citizen, he is esteemed and respected by all who know him.

LOUIS J. LARSEN is a well known farmer re- siding two and one-half miles southeast of Bickle- ton, Washington. His parents, now deceased, were Lars and Minnie (Peterson) Jorgensen, both natives of Denmark. Lars Jorgensen was killed in the Ger- man-Danish war before Louis J. was born. Minnie (Peterson) Jorgensen was born in 1825, and resided in Denmark till the time of her death. Louis J. Lar -. sen was born in Denmark, September 14, 1850. and attained young manhood in the land of his nativity,

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receiving a fair education in the common schools. At the age of fifteen years he left the parental roof, and has since then taken care of himself. When twenty years old he went from Denmark to Australia and there followed mining for six years. Thence he went to San Francisco, California, arriving in 1877. with no money, and one shirt his surplus clothing. From San Francisco he proceeded to Victoria. Brit- ish Columbia, with the intention of going from the latter town to Alaska, but upon arrival he changed his mind and took a steamer for Tacoma. Thence he went to Portland, Oregon, and after a short stay in that place, to Hillsboro, that state, where he ac- cepted employment on a farm. In the fall of 1877 he arrived in Goldendale, Klickitat county, and after a stay of one month returned to Portland, where he spent the winter. In the spring of 1878 he engaged for a time in fishing on the Columbia river. but quitting this vocation, again returned to Portland, there accepting employment of the Oregon Transfer Company, with whom he remained for five months. His final move was to Klickitat county, where he arrived in the fall of 1878. For a time after his arrival he herded sheep for George McCredy, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this volume. The following year, 1879, he filed on his present farm, which has since then been his home.

Mr. Larsen was married in Denmark, February 6, 1885, to Miss Karen Larsen while on a visit to his old Denmark home, from which he had been absent for fifteen years. Miss Larsen was the daughter of Lars Larsen and Karen (Ekertsen) Larsen, both natives of Denmark. Lars Larsen is an engineer in the old country, having retained his present position for twenty-five years. The mother, Karen (Ekert- sen) Larsen, is living at the present time. Miss Kar- en Larsen, now the wife of L. J. Larsen, was born in Denmark, June 13, 1864. She received her educa- tion in the common schools of Denmark, and she was married there at the age of twenty-one. Chil- dren born to this marriage are Minnie, Lewis P. and George W., all in Klickitat county. Fraternally, Mr. Larsen is affiliated with the Odd Fellows, in which order he stands very high. He is a member of the Lutheran church, and in politics, a Republican. His land holdings comprise, in all, three hundred and twenty acres, some of which is said to be as good as the best in the county, and he has a splendid little herd of cattle, twenty-five in number, and five good horses. He allows his stock to increase to no greater number than his farm will support comfort- ably, and to this policy, applied in other lines also, may be attributed the excellent appearance of all his property.

THOMAS HANSEN, whose farm lies a mile east of Cleveland, Klickitat county, is one of the wheat belt's successful Danish citizens. He was born at Ilesvig, Denmark, May 15, 1853, the son of Godfred and Lena (Peterson) Hansen, both of

whom lived and died in the old country. The father's death occurred in 1901, in his eighty-eighth vear. His wife was born in 1818 and died in 1868. She was the mother of ten children, of whom Thomas is next to the youngest. He received his education in the common schools, remaining at home on the farm until he was seventeen years old; then he crossed the ocean and settled near Cleveland, Ohio. After a few months spent there he went to St. Charles, Missouri, and was employed near-by on a farm for five years. In 1877 he took up his abode in Texas, worked a time in a brickyard there and then began farming for himself. Texas continued to be his home state until 1883, when he went to California. A year and a half in sawmill work followed. His residence in Klickitat dates from the year 1885, at which time he filed on a pre-emption claim twenty miles southeast of Bickleton. How- ever, six months later he abandoned this claim and filed a timber culture claim to a quarter section near Cleveland. After proving up on it he purchased his present home, which was then owned by the rail- road company.

Mr. Hansen was married in Grayson county, Texas, November 28, 1877, to Lizzie Lundorff, also a native of Denmark, born in 1856. Her parents were Matthew and Mary Lundorff, the father being a farmer; both spent their entire lives in Denmark. Mrs. Hansen received a good education in her native land, after which she joined her brother in Texas and was there married at the age of twenty-one. She died June 28, 1903, mourned by all who knew her and leaving, besides her husband, one child, Mrs. Lena Van Nostern, born in Texas, June 23, 1880. Mr. Hansen is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and of the Lutheran church. In politics, he is a Republican. Of his four hundred acres of land, one hundred are in cultivation, the balance being pasture and timber ; he also owns con- siderable stock. Mr. Hansen has labored faithfully with highly satisfying results and because of his true worth has attained to an influential position in the community.

JOHN COPENHEFER is a favorably known farmer residing four miles south of Cleveland, Washington. He was born in Huntington county, Indiana, October 23, 1850, the son of John M. and Elizabeth (Crull) Copenhefer, the former of Swed- ish extraction and the latter of German. John M. Copenhefer was a farmer of Pennsylvania, and moved from that state to Indiana in 1854. Later he went to Wisconsin and resided there till the time of his death. Elizabeth (Crull) Copenhefer was born in Ohio. When a young woman she moved to Indi- ana, and in that state was married. Her death oc- curred many years ago in Wisconsin. Mr. Copen- hefer grew to manhood on the home farm. When twenty-one years of age he forsook the paternal roof and purchased a farm on which he spent four years,

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

at the end of which time he went to Linn county, Kansas, where he followed farming for three years. His next move was to Klickitat county, Washington, where he arrived in the spring of 1882. Here for a time he worked at logging for D. S. Sprinkle, and after quitting this vocation established his residence on a tract of railroad land which he later purchased. In 1888 he filed on a homestead, afterward making the place his home until 1903, when he moved to his present home in Klickitat county.

Mr. Copenhefer was married in Richland county, Wisconsin, January 9, 1872, to Miss Harriet J. Sny- der, a native of Indiana, born March 16, 1854. Her parents were John E. and Mary A. ( Polk) Snyder, the latter now deceased. John E. Snyder was born in Pennsylvania March 16, 1816; emigrated to Indi- ana when a boy and from there went to Wisconsin. Upon arrival in the latter state he engaged in farm- ing and he has since continued at this vocation. Mary A. (Polk) Snyder was born in Indiana De- cember 9, 1823. and died in Wisconsin in 1858. She was of Irish and Dutch extraction. Mrs. Copenhefer grew to womanhood in Wisconsin, receiving her education in the common schools. She married Mr. Copenhefer when seventeen years of age. Children born to this marriage are: Ethan A., in Richland county, Wisconsin, September 28, 1875, and Nora, who died when two years of age. In religion Mr. Copenhefer is an adherent of the Church of Christ, and in politics supports the Re- publican principles. He is a prominent man in county affairs, having served as a county commis- sioner in Klickitat county from 1897 to 1898. His land holdings comprise, in all, two thousand acres, a section of which is leased school land, the balance being held in fee simple. Three hundred and fifty acres of the land are in cultivation and the rest is used for grazing purposes.

GEORGE W. HAMILTON is a comfortably situated farmer residing two miles southeast of Dot postoffice, Klickitat county. He was born in Hunt- ington county, Indiana, July 12, 1853, the son of Thomas and Nancy (McCrumis) Hamilton. Thomas Hamilton, a farmer and blacksmith, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1828. When a boy he came to Canada, and thence, during early man- hood, he proceeded to Indiana, and later to Kansas, arriving in the latter state in 1857. There he fol- lowed blacksmithing for several years, then took up a farm on which he lived for a time. At the out- break of the Civil war he enlisted and during service was in the command of Captain Vansickle. In his capacity as blacksmith he afterward was foreman of the government shops at Fort Scott, Kansas. His present place of residence is Mapleton, that state. Nancy (McCrumis) Hamilton was born in Ireland in 1811, and died in 1884 at the age of seventy-three.

George W. grew to manhood in Kansas on the farm and, during boyhood, was educated in the pub-

lic schools. He remained at home until twenty-two years of age assisting his parents in the management of their farm, but at the age mentioned he moved to Caldwell county, Missouri, where he farmed for three years. In 1887 he came west, his objective point being Cleveland, Klickitat county, Washing- ton. Here he arrived with a family of five children, with seventy-five dollars in money, and with pros- pects rendered unpromising by his being in very poor health. He secured a small tract of land, and, during the time he could spare from improving it, worked in the timber. Later, he filed on his pres- ent 'farm, which has ever since been his home.

Mr. Hamilton's marriage occurred November 26, 1874, Miss Margery Nogle being the bride. She was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, April 10, 1857. the daughter of David and Mary (Harlan) Nogle. David Nogle, a farmer, was born in Ohio in 1804. the son of German parents. His death oc- curred in 1887. Mary (Harlan) Nogle was born near Dayton, Ohio, December 17, 18II. She was of English descent and had the distinction of being a cousin of Justice Harlan, well known, in his time, as one of the greatest lawyers in the United States. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton are Mrs. Ethel (Hamilton) Smith, now a teacher ; Anna, re- cently graduated from the Goldendale high school ; Clyde, Thomas, Fay, Zelda, Edwin and Hollis. In religion, Mr. Hamilton supports the Church of Christ, while politically, he espouses Republican principles, though not to the extent of being unduly prejudiced in municipal politics. In school affairs he is prominent in his support of progressiveness. and he has served creditably as a director. His land holdings, in all, comprise three hundred and twenty acres. His home is comfortable, his prop- erty interests are well taken care of, and everything about his premises speaks in language unmistakable of thrift. industry and good judgment.

JOSEPH GADEBERG is a prosperous farmer and stockman living two miles northwest of Dot postoffice, Klickitat county. He was born in Den- mark. October 7, 1819, at the time of the Danish- German war. His father. Peter Gadeberg, was born in Hadersleben, Denmark, October 15, 1815, and during his life time was first a common sailor, and later captain and owner of a vessel plying mainly in the coast trade of western Europe. His death occurred in 1896 in Denmark, the greater part of his life having been spent at sea, many of his trips being to Greenland, and later along the coast of Denmark and Europe. The mother, Helena M. (Hansen) Gadeberg, was also a native of Hadersleben, Den- mark, born about 1825. She died in 1880. During the early years of his life Joseph was a sailor. Up to the age of sixteen his maritime trips were made wholly along the coast of Denmark, but at that age he shipped to Hamburg, acting on his own respon- sibility. Later, he returned to Denmark, proceeding

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thence to the East and West Indies, and Hongkong, during his cruising on this part of the globe, touch- ing at divers points in the Pacific and on the Asiatic coast. From Hongkong he shipped to Portland on an American vessel, arriving July 4, 1871, which date marks the end of his life at sea. From Portland hie proceeded to Yamhill county, Oregon, and there settled on a farm. After a year, he proceeded thence to eastern Oregon, where he engaged in the stock business. This occupation he followed the greater part of the time until 1879, his residence up to that date being in Wasco county. Quitting the stock busi- ness, he fished for three seasons on the Columbia river, being employed on a river steamer part of the time. His next move was to Goldendale, where he lived for two years. At the end of this time, in 1881, he took up his present farm, upon which he settled permanently that fall. Two years prior to this he married Mary E. Phipps, who died January 4, 1894, leaving no children. October 16, 1895, Mr. Gade- berg married Miss Cora A. Enyart, a native of Clay county, Illinois, born February 15, 1873, the daugh- ter of Samuel and Frances Maria (Vail) Enyart. Samuel Enyart was appointed by President Cleve- land (first administration) superintendent of the In- dian school at Fort Simcoe, and his daughter Myr- tle, who later married Dick Lyons, matron. Frances Maria (Vail) Enyart was born March 25, 1839, near Hamilton, Ohio. She is still living, her home being in Washington, D. C. Mr. and Mrs. Gadeberg have three children: Wallace Edward, born August 14, 1896; J. Monroe, April 6, 1899, and Joseph Lloyd, July 29, 1902. Fraternally, Mr. Gadeberg is affiliated with the Knights of the Royal Guards, and, in re- ligion, he adheres to the Presbyterian church. In politics, he strongly favors Democratic principles. Mr. Gadeberg is one of the pioneer settlers of Klick- itat county, and has met with many of the unpleas- ant experiences incident to the settlement of a new country. He made his start in the sheep business in 1882 with one not extremely healthy looking pet sheep obtained of a neighbor, George Lymer by name. The sheep lived till it reached the age of twelve years, and Mr. Gadeberg gave it a burial such as is seldom accorded to a common sheep. He cut his first crop with a cradle, and as no threshers were then to be had, used horses to tramp the grain out, as was done in olden days. Now his affairs are managed differently. His farm comprises sixteen hundred acres, every acre of which is good tillable or grazing land and is yielding satisfactory returns.

CHRISTIAN LARSEN, one of Klickitat coun- ty's prosperous wheat farmers and stock raisers, re- sides upon his fine ranch, five miles southeast of Bickleton. Like many other of Washington's suc- cessful men, he was born in Denmark, July 23, 1861. His parents were Lars and Johanna (Christiansen) Sorensen. The father was born in 1812, followed farming during his life, and died in his native coun-

try in 1885. The mother was born in 1820; she died in Denmark, also. The subject of this sketch re- ceived his education in the schools of his native country and when nine years of age, began working out summers. When he reached the age of four- teen he left the parental home and worked for dif- ferent farmers until he was twenty-five years old, or until 1887, when he came to America. He first settled near Cincinnati, where he resided two years, then moved to Schenectady, New York, in which city he was employed two years in the electric light works. In 1891 he came to Washington, landing in Tacoma in May. Thence he went to Ellensburg and in June he commenced work for Coffin Brothers in Klickitat county. He was with them two years before filing on his present place, which has since been the field of his labors.

Mr. Larsen was married in Reading, Ohio, in 1887, to Marie P. Peterson, a daughter of Paul and Eliza (Bro) Peterson, natives of Denmark. Mr. Peterson died when Marie was a child, but her mother is still living in the old country. Mrs. Lar- sen was born in Denmark March 6, 1858, received her education in the schools of Copenhagen and came to America in 1881. Her marriage took place when she was nineteen years old. To this union have been born eight children: Sophia, in 1889, died at the age of six months; Paul, in New York state, in April, 1890; Sophia, in Klickitat county, August 25, 1892; Elizabeth, August 17, 1894 ; Johanna, August 13, 1896; Emma, August 20, 1898; Christina, De- cember 15, 1900; and Milner, June 8, 1904. Mr. Larsen is connected with the Odd Fellows and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and, politically, is a Re- publican. At present he holds the position of school director in the district. He owns seven hundred and sixty acres of land, of which three hundred and fifty are under cultivation, has a herd of sixty cattle, a large band of horses and is leasing a quarter sec- tion of school land. He is one of the most substan- tial and progressive of the agriculturists of the Bickleton country and one of its most highly esteemed citizens.

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An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 111

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1904 Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company Number of Pages: 1146

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company
Number of Pages: 1146