History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 110

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767

USA > Wisconsin > Barron County > History of Barron County Wisconsin > Part 110

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Henry A. C. Summers, manager of the Barronette yard of the Interstate Lumber Co., is one of the active men of the village, is doing his share in the progress of the village and surrounding countryside, and is a great believer in the future of this region as an agricultural and dairying center. He has been prominent in the affairs of the Barronette Commercial Club, which is doing much to make the village a popular trading center, and is now its treas- urer. He was born Jan. 19, 1887, in Washington County, Minn., the son of Charles and Fredricka (Urtel) Summers. His youth was spent on the home farm where he learned farming from his father and attended the neighboring school. In 1909 he left home and worked for a year as a street car conductor in St. Paul. Then he was employed by the Gribber Lumber Co. in that city for two years. Next, in 1912, he went to Stillwater, in his native county, and for four years worked as a carpenter. He came to Barronette in 1916, to construct the yard and sheds of the Interstate Lumber Co. When the work

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was completed he was employed as local manager in which position he has since remained. (The Interstate Lumber Co. was taken over May 24, 1921, by the Miller Alcott Lumber Co.) Mr. Summers was married Oct. 19, 1914, to Emma Richert, born Oct. 31, 1889, the daughter of Otto and Louise Richert. This union has been blessed with one child, Francis, born April 2, 1918. Charles Summers was born in Germany, and there married Fredricka Urtel. They came to America in 1873, settled in Washington County, Minn., and there successfully farmed until 1920, when they sold out and moved to St. Paul where they now reside. In the family there were four children : Louise, Anna, Ida and Henry A. C.

Mads Jacobson, an honored pioneer who has lived in this county more than a half a century, was born in Denmark Aug. 25, 1839, the son of Lars and Anna Jacobson, who spent the span of their years in the old country. The children in the family were Lars, Christian, Rasmus, Mads, Christ, Caro- line and Hans. Mads lost his father when he was four years old and his mother when he was seventeen. He served nine months in the Danish army in the war between Denmark and Germany. In 1867 he and his brother, Hans, came to America aboard a sailing vessel, embarking from their native land April 1 and landing in Boston May 1, an unusually quick trip for those days. They came on to Oshkosh, Wis., and arrived there May 10. Their first employment was on farms and in the lumber woods. June 1, 1870, the subject of this sketch filed on a claim in section 22, Chetek Township, this county, and on Nov. 18 brought his wife and four-weeks-old daughter here to live. He made the distance from Oshkosh by team, the journey taking twelve days. Five trips were made before he had everything here. The first winter here was spent in the shanty of Charles Strong. The next summer Mr. Jacobson erected a log house that stood a little south of where the barn is now located. He also put up a log barn, fifty feet long, a length so unusual for those days that the "big barn" as it was called was a landmark for the people for miles around. He started farming with a pair of colts and a cow. Neighbors were few, there were no roads, the best trading point was Eau Claire, far away. One time when in a hurry for supplies Mr. Jacobson made the trip in twenty hours, but it usually took about three days. Ready money was scarce; the farm at first did not produce enough to support the family, and Mr. Jacobson worked about at such labor as he could find. One of his occupa- tions was carting supplies over the "tote" roads and trails for lumber camps and settlers. As time passed he was able to devote all his attention to his farm. He has added to the original tract until he has 240 acres, and he has erected a comfortable home, a barn 36 by 70 feet, and other buildings. His farming operations have been successful and his efforts have been crowned with prosperity. He is respected throughout the community for his character and worth, and he is held in the highest regard by all who know him. He has not cared to hold public office, but has accepted a few minor positions such as membership on the school board. He has been somewhat active in the affairs of the Norwegian Lutheran Church at Chetek and early services of that denomination were held at his log cabin. Mr. Jacobson was married in Octo- ber, 1868, at Winchester, Winnebago County, Wis., to Marie Johnson, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson, with whom she came to this country in 1868, they subsequently locating in Chetek Township. Of the eight chil- dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Jacobson there are living two, Louis and Jennie. Jennie is the wife of Herman Wickman, a farmer, of Chetek Township. Louis operates the home place. He was born here April 6, 1892, attended the district school, learned farming from his father, and gradually took over the manage- ment of the farm. He is one of the popular men of the community, he is an energetic worker, and stands high as a man, a citizen and a farmer. He is successfully carrying on general farming and makes a specialty of Holstein cattle, Poland-China swine, Belgian horses and Shropshire sheep. The Jacob-

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MR. AND MRS. MADS JACOBSON

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son home is a hospitable one and the doors are always open to their friends. Mrs. Jacobson died in November, 1916.

Ole O. Borgen, retired farmer of Rice Lake city, was born in Norway and was there reared and educated. He came to America in the sixties, and with headquarters at Menomonie, this state, worked for Knapp, Stout & Co. and later for other lumbermen, being employed both in sawmills and in the woods. In the seventies he homesteaded 160 acres of wild land in Barron Township, this county. He cleared a part of it, erected log buildings, and car- ried on farming and dairying for many years, at first hardly winning from the wilderness a living for himself and family, but later achieving a fair degree of success. In 1919 he sold the place and took up his residence in Rice Lake City, where he is now living at the age of 74 years. Mr. Borgen married Trena Hanson, native of Norway.

John H. Borgen, who has a good farm of 80 acres in section 31, Rice Lake Township, which he purchased in 1917, and in the development of which he is taking an especial pride, has a good place in every respect. The house is adequate, the barn has Louden equipment, litter carrier and running water, the silo is of a modern type, and the other buildings are fully in keeping. The farm under Mr. Borgen's skilled management produces good crops. A specialty is made of dairying with a fine herd of Jerseys, headed by a full blooded sire. Mr. Borgen is a native of this county, having been born in Barron Township May 4, 1888, son of Ole O. and Trena (Hanson) Borgen. He was reared on the home farm, and there farmed with his parents for several years. In the summers of 1909-10-11, he worked in North Dakota, spending the corresponding winters hunting and trapping in his home neigh- borhood. He rented a farm of 240 acres in Barron Township in 1912. This he operated for two years. In 1914 he bought 80 acres of partly improved land in Stanfold Township. On this he continued the improvements, cleared more of the land, and erected a good barn. Then he sold out and came to his present place. Mr. Borgen was married May 24, 1912, at Rice Lake, to Marion Johnson, born Dec. 2, 1884, in Rice Lake city, Barron County, daughter of Ole and Mary Johnson, who came to America from Norway in 1865 and now live in Rice Lake. The family faith is that of the Norwegian Lutheran Church.

Henry Hyde, early merchant of Perley, and for many years one of the solid and substantial influences for good in this region, was born at Hyde Park, Vt., in 1829, descended from good old New England stock. His life as a boy was similar to that of others in his region, and included the usual school attendance and work on the farm. As a young man he started out for himself and in time reached Green County, Wis., where he farmed for some years. In 1880 he came to Barron County. He made his home first at Rice Lake and later at Cumberland. For seven years he worked for the Omaha railroad as a surveyor, for three winters scaling logs for the road. He also surveyed and laid out Cumberland City. From the Andrews & Perley Co. he bought a gen- eral store at Perley which he subsequently operated until his death. He also bought 15 acres of land in Almena Township, built an eight-room house and some outbuildings and there did a little small farming in connection with his store business. After a long and useful life he died Jan. 28, 1901. Mr. Hyde was a man of probity and worth, popular with all who knew him, and his death was a distinct loss to the community. His character was appreciated by his fellow citizens, and he served five years as town treasurer of Turtle Lake Township. He was religiously affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church. After his death his good wife, a most gracious woman of many accomplish- ments, carried on the business for a while and then closed out. She now makes her home on the 15-acre tract. Mr. Hyde was married at Madison, Wis., July 27, 1876, to Frederika Ludwig, who was born in Dane County, Wis., June 7, 1855, the daughter of Christian and Frederika (Schultz) Ludwig, natives of Germany, who settled in Dane County in 1848. Of the five children there are two living, Mrs. Hyde and August of Wadena, Minn. Mr. and Mrs.

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Hyde had five children: Amy, Edna, Erwin, Dean and Harrison. Amy is the wife of Thomas Bethel, now deceased. Erwin is in Portland, Oregon, and Dean in Canada. The others are living at home. The family is in high stand- ing throughout the community.

Charles Wanner, of the firm of Wanner Brothers, Almena, hardware dealers, steamfitters and plumbers, was born in Hudson, St. Croix County, Wis., March 26, 1883, the son of John and Margaret (Schwalen) Wanner. Both families were well known in the early days in the Northwest. John Wanner was born on the site of the old Minnesota state prison at Stillwater. At that time Stillwater was a pioneer village, the lumbering industry which later gave it a commanding position had scarcely started, and the Indians were stilling ranging up and down the St. Croix River. Haley Schwalen, the father of Margaret Schwalen, cut lumber on a part of what is now the site of St. Paul. That city at that time was but a struggling hamlet, with little indication of its splendid future as the capital of a great and prosperous commonwealth. The subject of this sketch was the first of six children. He was reared in St. Croix County, this state, and received a fair education in the rural schools. At the age of eighteen he took up railroad work as tele- graph operator and signal man, and was located at various places, including Cameron Junction, in this county, where he was towerman for several years. In 1910 he came to Almena and established a hardware store. Jan. 1, 1912, he took his brother, Chris, as a partner. They have a good store and carry a good line of goods. They also do general plumbing and install various kinds of heating plants. The young men are both popular in the community, and in business are known for good goods, good work, honest treatment and scrupulous honesty. Mr. Wanner is a popular fraternity man and belongs to Turtle Lake Lodge, No. 313, A. F. & A. M. He was married at Canton. Wis., on May 3, 1905, to Adaline Ross, who was born in St. Cloud, Minn., on April 15, 1885, the daughter of Henry and Belle Ross, early settlers of Arland Township, this county. Mr. and Mrs. Wanner have two children, Dorris and Marlow. It is interesting to note that John Wanner, the father of the subject of this sketch, visited Barron County as early as the winter of 1879-80, and hauled wood near Turtle Lake.

The Farmers' State Bank, of Canton, was organized October, 1917, with a capital of $10,000, and opened for business on Oct. 1, 1917, in a solid brick building, 24 by 40 feet, just completed for that purpose. The first officers were: President, C. J. Johnson; vice-president, J. M. Ward; cashier, Erland Engh; these gentlemen, with George Nelson, R. Rasmussen, Simon Berg and C. A. Beggs, being the first directors. The present officers are: President. W. G. Malcolm; vice-president, J. M. Ward; cashier, E. O. Johnson; these gentlemen, with A. O. White, Jay Packard, B. M. Apker and W. W. Winchester, constituting the board of directors. The building constitutes an ideal village banking house. It is a sightly structure, fireproof throughout, with cement floors, and a full basement, and equipped with all the latest devices and modern furniture, safety, convenience and comfort being the dominating key note.

Ervin O. Johnson, the energetic and efficient cashier of the Farmers' State Bank of Canton, was born in Woodville, St. Croix County, this state. May 27, 1898, the son of Charles J. and Marie (Welk) Johnson. He came to this county with his parents in 1902 and after completing his studies in the common schools entered the Barron High School in 1913. In 1915 he entered the Rice Lake High School and was graduated in 1917. Then he entered Ripon College, where he took a two years' course in commerce and business, specializing in banking. Upon completing this course in 1919. he worked for a short time conducting a store in Poskin, in this county, and for a short time was in the employ of the Almena State Bank, in Almena, this county. Aug. 1, 1919, he took up the duties of his present position. Under his management the bank experienced a decided advance. He is regarded as &

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E. O. JOHNSON

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most admirable man for the position, he is a sound financier, he is of genial temperament, he has a capacity for hard work, he has known local conditions since early boyhood, his patrons are his friends, and he has the confidence of all with whom he deals. His personality is a part of the success with which the institution has met, and under his capable direction it is forging ahead to still greater possibilities. In addition to the usual banking business, the insti- tution handles various lines of insurance, and Mr. Johnson is proving himself most admirably suited to success in this branch also. Aside from being a stockholder in the bank of which he is cashier, he is also interested in the Bank of Campia. His business holdings include a part ownership in a tract of 520 acres near Radisson, in Sawyer County, this state.

Albert Curt, a well known resident of Almena village, was born in Germany Aug. 4, 1860, oldest of the five children of Wilhelm and Fredericka (Hessa) Curt, who spent the span of their years in the old country. He was educated in the government schools and performed the required military service, being released from the army in 1881. In 1883 he married Henriette Malke, also a native of Germany. He came to America in 1892, with his wife and three children, Herman, Clara and Ida, and located at Almena, in Barron County. His first work was loading 52 cars of wood. His hands were soft and before the arduous task was completed they were raw and blistered, and his body was lame and sore. He secured a tract of land in Clinton Township, and there started farming. A log cabin was standing on the place and five or six acres had been cleared. When he moved onto it his farm animals consisted of a team of horses, a team of oxen, an old cow and five heifers. He began to clear up the place, erected some buildings, and was just getting where he could see success in sight, when the forest fires swept everything away. But un- daunted, he started in again. Upon selling his farm he bought a seven-acre tract, now known as Curtiss Hill, at the edge of Almena Village, and there put up a modern home and farmed on a small scale. Later he sold out and moved to Almena Village where he now resides. He is practically retired from the more active duties of life, but keeps busy and in touch with business life by serving as mail man. He and his family are members of the German Lutheran Church. In addition to the three children named, two more, Frieda and Metta, were born in this county. Herman is connected with the Almena Creamery at Almena. Clara is the wife of J. F. Banyon of Minneapolis, Minn. Ida died in 1908. Frieda is the wife of Albert Daeka of Minneapolis, Minn. Metta is the wife of Ernest Nelson of Minneapolis.

The Almena Creamery and Cheese Factory was built in 1918 by Herman A. Curt, who is still the sole owner and proprietor. The building is a one story structure, 40 by 80 feet, located just north of the railroad station, and equipped with modern appliances. The creamery department has two cream pasturizing vats with a capacity of 400 gallons each, a power churn and butter workers with a capacity of 600 pounds, and other conveniences. The cheese department has two vats with a combined capacity of 10,000 pounds. a separator with a capacity of 4,000 pounds, cheese presses and the like, while the curing room has a capacity of 3,000 pounds. The entire plant is operated with electricity and steam. The daily intake in the busy season is about 11,000 pounds of milk for cheese, and about 3,000 pounds of butterfat. The butter which is of a high grade, is put up in prints and in tubs, the prints being sold mostly in this and neighboring villages, and the tubs principally in the New York markets. The cheese, which is of the brick variety exclusively, is shipped to supply the wholesale and retail trade in Wisconsin and Min- nesota. Mr. Curt has had long experience in the dairy-products line, and his helpers are all skilled men. His cheese and butter enjoys the highest repu- tation, and Mr. Curt is known for fair dealing, both to those from whom he buys and those to whom he sells.

Herman A. Curt, proprietor of the Almena Creamery and Cheese Factory at Almena, was born in Germany Nov. 26, 1885, the son of Albert and Henrietta

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Curt. He was brought to America in 1892 and was reared in the vicinity of Al- mena. In 1904 he took a course in the agricultural department of the University of Wisconsin. With this preparation he began his career by working as an apprentice to Charles Kaemmer, a butter maker at Almena. Then he worked as a butter maker at Bellville, Illinois; Barney, North Dakota; New Rich- mond, St. Croix County, this state; and Cumberland, in this county. He built his present factory at Almena in 1918. At first he made cheese exclusively, but he is now turning his attention more and more to butter making. Mr. Curt was married May 12, 1909, at Almena, to Ollie S. Miller, born at Elmore, Minn., on Jan. 29, 1890, the daughter of August and Emelie Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Curt have three children: Alenora, Albert and Loretta.

Ole A. Eggen, who, since his arrival in Barron County eleven years ago, has made good progress in the development of a farm and is now recognized as a substantial citizen, was born in Norway July 1, 1865, son of Andrew and Barbara (Peterson) Nelson, who were also natives of that country. The father, who was a carpenter, came to the United States in 1890, settling in Sioux City, Iowa, where he followed his trade for three years. In 1893 he went to Jackson, Minn., and died there in January, 1895, of the same year. His wife, Barbara, had died in Norway on Aug. 11, 1887. They had nine children, of whom seven are now living, namely: Andrew (deceased), Mary, Peter, Christina and Ole J., who are still living in Norway; Ole A., subject of this sketch; Margaret, now Mrs. Troan of Clinton Township, Barron County; Anna, living in Barron, Wis., now Mrs. C. Olson, and another Anna, who is deceased. Ole A. Eggen attended school in his native land, where he later learned the stone mason's trade. He followed it there until 1891, in which year he came to America, locating in Sioux City, Iowa, where he worked for two years in a packing plant. In the fall of 1893 he went to Jackson, Minn., and in that city remained fifteen years, working at his trade there until 1910. He then came to Barron County, Wis., and bought 70 acres of wild land in sections 5 and 8, Clinton Township, which place he has since been engaged in developing. He erected a small house, a barn 34 by 60 feet, and other out-buildings, and has cleared 25 acres of the land. He follows mixed farming and dairying, disposing of his cream to the Barron Creamery Co. His cattle are Guernseys. Mr. Eggen was married in Norway Nov. 1, 1889, to Mary Moe, who was born in that country June 30, 1867, daughter of Ingbright and Barbara Moe. Her parents, who have both passed away, had five children, of whom the two first born are now dead. Those living are: Peter, who is in Saskatchewan, Canada; Mary, wife of Ole A. Egger, and Severt, who is in Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Egger have an adopted daughter, Eline, who was born Dec. 31, 1896, in Jackson, Minn. They are consistent members of the Norwegian Lutheran Church.

Charles F. Stout, of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, was born at Cedar Springs, Mich., April 15, 1866. He is the son of Oscar and Elizabeth A. (Benham) Stout. He received his education in the public schools of Cedar Springs and Evart, Mich., and the Ferris Institute of Big Rapids, Mich., and for business purposes took a course in law, and he was admitted to the bar at the age of twenty-one. For many years he was engaged in the lumber business and came to Rice Lake as manager of the Rice Lake Lumber Company. He was in the Wisconsin Legislature in 1907 when he introduced and was sponsor for the Public Utility Bill that became a law and was so widely copied by other states. Mr. Stout was married October 19, 1892, to Lila J. Alexander, of Evart, Mich., and to them were born three children, Clarence O., Mary Lwellyn, who became Mrs. Oliver Mauseth, and H. Marshall. Mr. Stout was actively connected with the Rice Lake Commercial Club and interested in the development of his home city, County of Barron and Northern Wisconsin.

Clarence O. Stout, one of the rising young business men of Rice Lake, was born at Evart, Mich., Sept. 18, 1893, son of Charles F. and Lila J.

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(Alexander) Stout. He received his early education in the public schools of Evart, Mich., and Westboro, Wis., and was graduated from the Rice Lake High School in the class of 1912. In 1914 he was graduated from the Ferris Institute at Big Rapids, Mich. For a while he was employed as accountant by the First National Bank of Rice Lake, and then became city reporter for the Rice Lake Journal. In 1915 he became accountant and salesman for the Automatic Trip Carrier Manufacturing Co. He is now associated with his father in the cigar business, being vice president of the Bear Cat Cigar Co. and secretary and general manager of the Stout Cigar Manufacturing Co., spending a part of his time on the road for this company. Mr. Stout joined the Wisconsin National Guard in 1910 as a private in Co. A, Third W. N. G., later the Machine Gun Company of Third Wisconsin Infantry. On March 26, 1917, this company was called into the Federal service and placed on duty at Superior, Wis., and on the declaration of war was ordered into active service. Mr. Stout entered the First Officers' Training Camp at Fort Sheridan, Ill., on May 28, 1917, and was commissioned first lieutenant of infantry July 7, 1917, and assigned to the Sixth Wisconsin Infantry at its organization. In October, 1917, he was transferred as adjutant to the 119th Machine Gun Battalion, and in December, 1917, to the 127th Infantry of the 32nd Division, with which unit he that month went to France. He was transferred to the general staff of the 32nd Division in August, 1918, and was with that division in the Army of Occupation, and in May, 1919, was assigned to duty at the Allied Peace Conference, Paris. He returned to the United States in October, 1919, and was discharged at Camp Dodge October 2nd, of that year. He now holds a commission as captain in the infantry reserves. His war service consists of active participation in the battles of the Aisne-Marne, the Oise-Aisne, St. Mihiel and the Meuse- Argonne, and in the occupation of the right bank of the Rhine. Mr. Stout was married June 16, 1917, to Dorothy K. Scharlau, of Rice Lake.

Martin Carlson is one of the most honored and venerated citizens of Barron County. Coming here with nothing but his health and courage, he has built up a beautiful estate, around him have settled his descendants, and few men are held in such absolute honor, respect and love. His children and grandchildren hold themselves fortunate to have such a forbear, and his friends and associates are honored in having his acquaintance. He has watched this region develop from a wilderness, he has seen the rigors of pioneer life, and the prosperity of the present day, and in the great forward movement he has had his full share and part. He has been a hard working, industrious man, all his adult years, he has always represented everything that is good and just, and he is well deserving of all the pleasant things of life that his perseverance has brought him. He is of genial temperament, of kindly and equitable disposition, and upright and faithful in every department of human life. Martin Carlson was born in Norway Sept. 12, 1849, and was there reared and educated. As a youth he became a sailor, and visited many of the important ports of Northern Europe. In 1869 he started out for America and after a long voyage of nine weeks landed in Quebec, from which city he found his way to Milwaukee. Having by that time used up all his funds he borrowed money from friends he had known in the old country and continued on his way to Eau Claire, Eau Claire County, Wis., where a brother, Anton, had pre- ceded him. For some years he worked in sawmills, flourmills and in the lumber woods. In the interim of this work he spent three months in the state of Washington. While thus working at whatever his hand could find to do, he made his plans for the establishment of his permanent home. Accordingly in 1876 he bought 240 acres of wild land in section 16, Dovre Township, and as time permitted, erected a log cabin, 14 by 22 feet. In 1878 he moved into this cabin, with his wife and three children. At first his domestic animals con- sisted of a yoke of oxen and two cows, and his equipment consisted of a few crude tools. Hardships were many, comforts were few, luxuries were unknown.

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History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 110

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1767

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767