An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 189

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1172

USA > Washington > Skagit County > An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 189
USA > Washington > Snohomish County > An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 189

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JOHN C. LARSON, farmer. three and a half miles from Silvana and equally distant from Ar- lington. is of the fibre of which men must be made who win a new country from nature and adapt it to the needs of man. He has lived on his present place since the days when it was covered with for- est and has changed it into a fertile farm. Ability to work and patience to accomplish are among Mr. Larson's chief characteristics. He was born in Norway February 2, Isit, the second of the two children of Lars and Ella (Setter) Larson, natives of Norway, born in the early years of the last cen- tury. Young Larson attended the common school at his home and also the high school, at the age of fourteen years going to work for farmers in his neighborhood. For twelve years be continued at farm work and when twenty-six years old he started to learn the trade of carpenter. Soon after qualifying himself for work at the bench he en- gaged in a shipyard and worked at ship carpentry for two years. In 1886 Mr. Larson determined to come to the United States, and he reached Stan-

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wood on the last day of May of that year. He then passed two months in Skagit county, but returned to Snohomish county, stopping for a time in Sil- vana. In February of 1888 he filed on the place which now constitutes his home farm, taking up but thirty-two acres. It was covered with a growth of cottonwoods, but he has cleared and slashed the entire tract and made many improvements on the land.

While living in Norway Mr. Larson in 1881 married Miss Engeborg Bruseth, daughter of An- dres and Guro (Setter) Bruseth, both of whom were born, lived and died in their native land. Mrs. Larson was born in 1848 and received her educa- tion in the old country. She passed a year and a half in Denmark, learning the principles of suc- cessful conduct of a creamery establishment. She came to Snohomish county with her husband in 1886 and died here October 21, 1893, leaving two living children, three others having died in baby- hood. The living are Lars and Guro, both of whom were born in Norway. In church membership Mr. Larson is a Lutheran ; in politics an adherent to the People's party principles. Mr. Larson raises cattle, keeping, at this writing, twenty head on his home place. He is one of the fine men of his com- munity, energetic and of the class which makes for the betterment of the neighborhood in which he lives.

ANDREW J. GREEN, farmer, two and a half miles west of Arlington, is one of the public-spirited citizens and prosperous men of the Stillaguamish valley. He was one of the pioneer settlers of the section, Mrs. Green being among the very first white women to make their homes there. Mr. Green was born in Norway in 1857, the third of seven children of Johonos and Ingeborg (Anderson) Green, also natives of Norway. The elder Green came to the United States in 1880 and died in Michigan. An- drew J. Green attended the Norway schools and at the age of sixteen took to the sea and followed the life of a sailor for six years, during the last two of which he held an interest in the vessel in which he sailed. In 1878 Mr. Green came to the United States and settled in Wisconsin, where he remained for six years. In 1885 he came to Washington and for a time made his headquarters at Stillaguamish postoffice, now Silvana. engaged in farm work. The following year he filed on a piece of wooded wilderness which he has since converted into a fine farm. When Mr. Green took his wife to live on his land she was almost alone so far as the company of white women was concerned. Mr. Green has cleared and slashed sixty of his eightv-five acres of land. the remainder being still in timber. Hay and grain form his principal erops, though he also gives considerable attention to cattle raising, keeping some thirty-four head at this date.

In 1883, while living in Wisconsin, Mr. Green married Miss Guro Nelson, daughter of Nels and Guave Nelson, both of whom are still living in Nor- way. Mrs. Green was born in 1858 and received her education in the common schools of Norway, later coming to the United States and settling in Wisconsin. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Green, of whom one daughter, Clara M .. died in infancy. The living are Annie G., born in Wisconsin, and now operator in the telephone office at Arlington ; Jonas P., born in Silvana; Nels N., Anton F., Caroline, Margarette, Amanda C., Albert and Bernard. A Lutheran in religion, Mr. Green is at present deacon in his home church ; in politics he is a Republican. Being a public-spirited man, he has ever contributed his share toward the promo- tion of the common weal, at one time serving four years in the thankless and unremunerative office of school director and for two years serving as road supervisor. He is one of the substantial, worthy men of his community, highly esteemed by those with whom he is associated, energetic progressive and prosperous.

JOSEPH KRAETZ, one of the men whose abundant labors have contributed to the material and industrial development of Snohomish county, is a native of Germany, born February 5, 1866. His father, Johan, and his mother, Cresyen (Reindl) Kraetz, were likewise natives of this land, and their remains lie buried there. The former was a baker by trade. The Mr. Kraetz of this article attended the excellent German schools from the time he first became old enough until he was thirteen, then went to work in a railroad shop, where he learned the trade of a machinist. After thoroughly mastering his craft and following it as a journeyman for a few years, he put into practice a determination to seek his fortune in the new world, and in 1887 he took up his abode in the state of Michigan. Only four months were spent there, however, then he caught the spirit of "Westward, Ho!" and came to Silvana, Washington. Early in 1888 he bought forty acres two miles east of town, covered with forest, surrounded by forest and without even a trail over which to pack provisions. To open a passable road and to clear and seed the land was the labor of six or seven years, but the task was suc- cessfully accomplished and the land thus improved furnished Mr. Kraetz a home until 1895, when he sold out. For a couple of years afterward he farmed a rented place in the vicinity, but in the spring of 1898 he purchased a tract of eighty aeres a short distance southwest of Arlington, unim- proved at the time, and once more began the struggle with impeding timber and debris. In the years which have intervened he has cleared and seeded half this land, giving token, by thus opening two homes in the heart of dense forests, of his great

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industry, earnestness of purpose and capacity for hard work.

In the state of Michigan, in 1892, Mr. Kraetz married Miss Annie Dous, whose father, Ferdinand, is a native of Germany, and by occupation a coal miner. At present he is superintendent of a large mine in Michigan, for the owners of which he has worked for the past thirty-five years. Mrs. Kraetz's mother, Louise ( Schultz) Dous, is likewise a native of Germany and now a resident of the Peninsula state. Born in Ohio in 1875, Mrs. Kraetz grew to young womanhood and was educated in that state, but moved to Michigan previous to her marriage. She and Mr. Kraetz are parents of the following children, namely: Louise, Louis, Ernest, Joseph and Sophia, all born in Snohomish county. In poli- tics Mr. Kraetz is a Democrat and in fraternal af- filiations a Woodman of the World. Ile is looked upon as one of the substantial, strong men of his part of the county, a man of force and ability and in all respects worthy of esteem and confidence. Like most farmers in his locality he is considerably interested in dairying, keeping twenty head of cattle at this time.

OLE O. REINSETH, whose farm lies about equidistant from Silvana and Arlington, is one of the self-made men of Snohomish county. After passing many years in the logging camps of the Stillaguamish he purchased a tract of forest land and commenced the task of rearing himself a home in the midst of a dense forest. Mr. Reinseth was born in Norway in the winter of 1864, the second of eight children of Ole and Bret (Ulnyund) Reinseth, who are still living in the land of the fjords, where the father is a sailor by occupation. Ole O. Rein- seth attended the common schools of his native land as a lad and remained at home until he was twenty- two years old. He came to the United States in 1886 and in the fall of that year appeared on the Skagit river, but soon after went to work for Olson & McFadden in their logging camp on the Stilla- guamish. Ile remained here for three years, leav- ing to enter upon a four-year term of service in the logging camp of O. B. Commons. At the comple- tion of this period Mr. Reinseth passed six months in the English logging camp, leaving there to take a lease of the Iver Johnson farm, near Silvana, which he operated with success for four years. In 1894 Mr. Reinseth was in a position to undertake the purchase of a tract of woodland with a view to con- verting it into farm land, and he selected thirty-six acres midway between Silvana and Arlington. At that time not a stick of timber had been removed from the heavily wooded tract and there was not a sign of an improvement, but three years later Mr. Reinseth had cleared a place for his house, erected his dwelling and outbuildings and moved his family thereto. At the present time there are but six acres

not under cultivation, and Mr. Reinseth has wrought the transformation with his own hands and his own teams.

In 1892, in Seattle, Mr. Reinseth married Miss Mary Benson, daughter of Berent and Annie ( Ros- sevold) Benson, natives of Norway, who are still living in the old home across the sea. Mrs. Rein- seth was born in the old country in 1868 and re- ceived ler education in the schools there. In 1890 she came to the United States. She passed some time in Minnesota, but afterward came to Tacoma and still later to Seattle. Mr. and Mrs. Reinseth have five living children : Bertha and Annie, born at Silvana; Oberth, Sene and Rena, born on the home ranch. Elizabeth, the first child born to them on the new ranch, died in infancy, and Arthur passed away December 24, 1904. In church con- nections the Reinseths are Lutherans, and in poli- tics Mr. Reinseth is a Republican, but aside from serving two terms as road supervisor, he has given no time or attention to office holding. He keeps twenty-seven head of dairy cattle and horses suf- ficient for operating the farm. Ile is one of the respected citizens of the community, a man who combines thrift and energy with business shrewd- ness.

PEDER REINSETH, farmer near Arlington is of the thrifty Scandinavian born American citi- zens who constitute so large a percentage of the population of Snohomish county and who have con- tributed so large a share toward the development of the native resources of the community. Mr. Reinseth was born in Norway February 26, 1872, the son of Ole and Bret ( Ulnyund) Reinseth, who are still residents of Norway, where the father leads the life of a sailor. As a lad young Reinseth at- tended the schools of Norway, remaining at home until nineteen years old. At that age. being at- tracted to the United States by reason of the fact that he had a brother in this country, he determined to emigrate. He joined his brother, Ole O. Rein- seth, a biographical sketch of whom appears in this work, in Snohomish county in 1889 and soon after went to work for the Great Northern Railway Com- pany. After passing some time at railroading. Mr. Reinseth went into the woods and worked in a log- ging camp for four years, at the end of which term he engaged in the fishing industry, continuing therein for two years. Mr. Reinseth went to Alaska in 1899 and that was his place of abode for two years more. On his return to Snohomish county he purchased his present place of twenty-six acres, covered with heavy timber. Eight acres of this tract have been cleared and put into cultivation and now constitute Mr. Reinseth's home place. Recent- ly he has increased his hoklings by the purchase of twenty acres more adjoining.

In 1895, at Silvana, Mr. Reinseth married Miss

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Minnie Peterson, daughter of Gunder and Guro Peterson, natives of Norway who passed their en- tire lives in their native land, dying there some years ago. Mrs. Peterson was born in Norway in 1813 and received her education in the Norwegian schools, but came to the United States and located in the Puget sound country some time previous to her marriage. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Reinseth, all of whom are living: Off. Geda and Olga. The family are attendants upon the Lutheran church, and in political faith Mr. Reinseth is a Republican. Ile is a hard worker, thrifty, energetic. and. though a young man, al- ready well on the way to independence, financially.

HANS THOMSEN, one of the sturdy men who have wrought the agricultural development of Snohomish county, clearing away the primeval for- est and a maze of debris that the land might be pre- pared for the seed, is a native of Germany, land whence so many successful tillers of the soil have come, land of thrift and industry and force. He is the son of Mather and Katrina ( Jensen) Thomsen. likewise natives of Germany, who both passed away in their native country after having become the parents of seven children, of whom our subject was third. Mr. Thomsen was educated in the famous German schools, but being of an ambitious and ad- venturous turn, he did not remain long in his father- land, for at the early age of eighteen he was alone in a strange land. the language of which was un- familiar to him. but a land, nevertheless, which held opportunity and plenty for those with the eves to see and hands to grasp the chances that should come in their way. He was not entirely alone. however. for in the Stillaguamish valley then lived and still lives an unele, and to tis uncle he came. For three years he worked for his relative and for others in the vicinity. then he resolved to secure some land for himself. so in 1884 he availed himself of the privilege so generously afforded by Uncle Sam, and pre-empted a tract of one hundred and twenty acres four and a half miles west of where Arlington now is. This he afterward converted into a homestead. Naturally the land was without improvements of any kind when he came into possession of it, and as wild as western Washington forest land could be. but he went to work with a will, and as a result he now has a large clearing and at least half his place in cultivation. The Thomsen farm of the present day is in striking contrast, with its com- fortable buildings and smiling fields, to the Thom- sen place in 1884, with its debris and wonderful wealth of timber. Though a general farmer. Mr. Thomsen makes a specialty of the dairy business, keeping at the present time thirty-five head of ex- cellent animals.

In the year 1889, in Seattle, Washington. Mr. Thomsen married Miss Katherine G. Tietjen, a

native of Germany, whose parents still live there. Born in 1864, she grew up in her European home, acquiring her education in the common schools of the parish, but at the age of eighteen she came to. America. She and Mr. Thomsen are parents of five children -- Sena, Elsa, Herman, Tillie and William. In fraternal affiliations Mr. Thomsen is a Workman and a member of the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica : in politics he is independent, but with a strong bias toward Socialism. Aside from serving two terms on the school board, he has never held office in the county, nor has he sought to hold office, his ambition being rather for industrial than political success. He is a man of energy, with an honorable record to his credit. one of the sturdy men of the community and respected as such.

JOHN SCHLOMAN is one of the early settlers in the Silvana section of Snohomish county, and though he has not lived continuously in this county since he first came in 1881, he has passed the greater part of the intervening time here. Mr. Schloman tried eastern Washington for a time, but came back to the western slope of the Cascades and resumed life on the Stillaguamish. He was born in Germany in 1851, but was brought by his parents to Minnesota when but two years old. His father, Henry Schloman, was a blacksmith by trade, but on coming to America became one of the pioneer farmers of Minnesota, though during the Civil War he returned temporarily to the pursuit of his trade. The mother, Mary ( Wilhelm) Schloman, also a na- tive of Germany, came to Snohomish county from Minnesota after the death of her husband and died here with her son, who was the eighth of her nine. children. John Schloman received his education in the common schools of Minnesota. He remained on the farm there until 1881, then came to the terri- tory of Washington, stopping for six months in Seattle. In the spring of 1882 Mr. Schloman came to Snohomish county and filed a pre-emption clain to one hundred and sixty acres near where Silvana now is. upon which he eventually proved up and about eight acres of which he cleared. Selling out at the end of four years' residence there, he moved to the Palouse country of eastern Washington. where he passed a year. then for another year he was a resident of Spokane, after which he came back to Snohomish county and bought a piece of land near Arlington. After living there for a time. Mr. Schloman took a homestead near Darrington. but. on proving up. sold this and came back to Ar- lington, where he lived for the ensuing four or five years In 1899 he moved on to his present place, three and a half miles southwest of Arlington and four and a half southeast of Silvana, establishing a residence there, which continues unbroken to this day.

At Arlington, in 1890, Mr. Schloman married'

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Miss Meta, daughter of William and Rosa ( Flick ) Spoerhase. the former of whom was born in Ger- many, but came to this country with his parents when but two years old. He attained the years of manhood in Minnesota, becoming a brick mason. In 1891 he came to Washington and is now living near Arlington. Mrs. Spoerhase, a native of Ohio, is also still living. Mrs. Schloman was born in Min- nesota September 6, 1813, and received her educa- tion in that state, coming to Washington with her parents when eighteen years old. She and Mr. Schloman have two children. Henry and Cosima. born November 12, 1891, and May 9, 1596, respec- tively. In fraternal circles Mr. Schloman is a mem- ber of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and in politics a Socialist, well informed on the tenets of the men of that economical faith. He has one hundred and twenty acres of land, devoted to gen- eral farming, and gives some attention to stock. having at present a herd of nine cattle. That Mr. Schloman has seen much of the world and is well informed on all subjects is evident from a casual conversation with him. An omniverons reader, he is fully abreast of the times along all lines of pro- gressive thought. He is highly respected in his community as a man of sterling worth and more than ordinary ability.

WILLIAM H. BUNTEN (deceased) was one of the pioneers of the Arlington country, highly re- spected by the community. He came here in Is81. when the country was virgin forest which knew neither axe nor settler, and when provisions had to be brought from Stanwood by Indian canoe on the river. the water route being the only one known to travel. Mr. Bunten was born in Merander, Maine. July 31. 1829, the son of Andrew and Clare .A. (Chase ) Bunten. The father was a native of Scot- land, and after coming to America became a school teacher and farmer in the l'ine Tree state. Mrs. Bunten, a native of Maine, was a descendant of the Mayflower pilgrims. She died at Redwood City. California. William H. Bunten received his educa- tion in the schools of Maine and even during his boyhood days learned the trade of a carpenter. Married when nineteen years of age, he operated his father's farm for several years thereafter but in 1865 went to California, making the trip around the Horn. After three years there, he determined to return to Maine, by vessel. He was shipwrecked on the l'anama coast and had to wait a month before the next steamer should touch at the port. In the interim he was stricken with isthmian fever. which so changed his plans that he returned to California, and there resided until his advent to Puget sound. The fever caused the permanent loss of his hearing.

In 1880, while living in California, Mr. Bunten married Miss Sophia Eichholz, daughter of William

M. and Frederika ( Kolpino) Eichholz, natives of Germany. The father died of typhoid fever when thirty-two years of age; his widow survived in the old country until 18;2. Mr -. Bunten was born in Germany in 185! and received her education there. When fifteen years of age, she came to Wisconsin, whence she crossed the continent to California in 1880. Five children were born to this union : Mrs. Minnie (. King, born in California in 1881: Mrs. Clara Il. Holing, born in Port Susan, Wash- ington, in 1883: Bertha, born on the Snohomish county ranch in 1886; William 11 .. Jr., and Walter M., both of whom were born on the present home ranch. Mr. Bunten was a lifelong Republican and an carnest advocate of the principles of that party. The family are attendants of the Evangelical church. The farm is operated by Mrs. Bunten and her sons, who are very successful as agriculturists. Mrs. Bunten retains many memories of the carly days up the river and frequently contrast- those pioneer days with the present ones on the fine ranch well stocked with cattle, horses and sheep. The heritage left by Mr. Bunten is two-fold-a fine ranch which he did much to develop from the dense forest, and the memory of an excellent man and publie-spirited citizen.

JOACHIM KROGER, whose farm lies two miles southwest of Arlington, is one of the success- iul and respected German- Americans of Snohomish county, where he has resided for nearly twenty years. Mr. Kroger is a native of Germany, born May 22. 1853. His parents, Joachim and Annie ( Dammon ) Kroger, were German farmer folk, who passed their entire lives in the old country. The son received his education in the German schools and remained at home until he was twenty years of age. In 1813 be came to the United States and settled in Minnesota, where he followed the life of a farmer for full fifteen years. In the autumn of laws he came to the Puget Sound country and filed on a pre-emption three miles southwest of Arlington, upon which he resided two years, then sold out and purchased his present place of one hundred acres. When Mr. Kroger gained posses- sion of the land it was covered with a dense growth of Brush and big timber and much of it was low land, which had to be ditched before it was suitable for raising crops. At present, however, after long years of arduous effort, he has forty acres of it under cultivation and is gradually clearing and fit- ting the rest of it for crops.

In 182%, while living in Minnesota, Mr. Kroger married Miss Minnie Holst, a native of Germany. who came to the United States with her parents when she was seven years old. Clous and Mary Holst were born in Germany but came to Minne- sota in the pioneer days of that state and lived the lives of farmer people until overtaken by death.

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Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kroger, but the parents were bereft of them by death while they were yet in infancy. The family church is the Lutheran. In politics Mr. Kroger is a Democrat. As a farmer he has been very success- ful, but it has been by his own hard, patient efforts that he has placed himself in the position of com- petence which he occupies today. In addition to conducting a general farming business, he raises cattle, his herd at present numbering more than thirty head. Mr. Kroger has exhibited farsighted- ness in his farm work and has converted a tract of land which had been passed over by less observant people into one of the fine places of the county. He is highly respected by the community in which he lives and enjoys the reputation of being one of the substantial citizens of the Arlington country.

KNUT O. ROD, successful farmer four miles west of Arlington, has been in the Puget sound country for fifteen years and during that time has placed himself in possession of a competence. Mr. Rod was born in Norway June 4th, 1864, the youngest of four children of Ove and Barbo (Breck) Rod, farmer folk of Norway. The elder Rod is still living in the old country at the ad- vanced age of ninety-three years, but the mother died four years ago, aged eighty-two. Knut O. Rod left home when fifteen years old to do for him- self. His first engagement was for six months witlı a farmer, and for his services he received a pair of second-hand boots and $? in cash. These consti- tuted Mr. Rod's worldly possessions six months after he had embarked in business for himself. He followed farming in Norway until he came to the United States in 188? and settled in Story county, Iowa, where he worked at farm labor for seven years. At the end of that period he came to Wash- ington, arriving in Seattle just previous to the big fire of 1889. He worked in a brick yard and at Alki Point for about four years. In the meantime, however, he had made a trip to Snohomish county and in 1890 had pre-empted 160 acres of land cight miles from Arlington. On leaving Seattle he came here and he lived upon his pre-emption for about ten years, then sold out and bought the forty-acre tract where he now lives. The land was alder bot- tom then; now thirty acres of it are cleared and in crop and pasture. At one time Mr. Rod acquired by purchase 160 acres of land near Granite Falls, but later sold out to advantage.

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An illustrated history of Skagit and Snohomish Counties; their people, their commerce and their resources, with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 189

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1906 Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1172

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1172