History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 74

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

USA > Wisconsin > Barron County > History of Barron County Wisconsin > Part 74

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).

Frederick H. Hembrook, auctioneer, real estate dealer and stock breeder, of Chetek, was born in Racine County, Wis., July 30, 1881, son of Fred and Minnie (Talman) Hembrook. The father was born in Germany, came to Amer- ica at the age of seven years, with his parents, was there reared, there con- tinued farming in his adult years, and there died in June, 1915. By his first wife he had four children. Alfred died in infancy. Frederick H. is a business man of Chetek. Edward C. lives in West Allis, Wis. Arthur lives in Burlington, Wis. By his second wife, Kate Riley. Fred Hembrook had four children, James and Hugh, of Waterford, Wis .; Viola, wife of Morris Nelson, of Burlington, Wis .; and one deceased. Frederick H. was educated in the rural schools of Waterford, Racine County, this state, and later took a short course in agricul-

Digitized by Google

440

HISTORY OF BARRON COUNTY

ture at the University of Wisconsin. Until he was twenty-one, with a short interval spent in South Dakota, he worked on his father's farm and on other farms in the neighborhood. Then he became a rural mail carrier out of Water- ford for some two years. His next location was at Antioch, Ill., where he con- ducted a store for a while, and operated a truck farm for a while. In Septem- ber, 1907, he came to Barron County, and secured a partly-improved farm of 200 acres, east of Chetek. He cleared 25 acres more, finished the house, erected a barn, constructed two silos, made many other improvements, and carried on general farming, making a specialty of all domestic animals and fowls, cattle, swine, sheep, horses, chickens and ducks. In 1913 he moved to the northern part of Chetek City, where he secured a good house and two acres of land, on which he did market gardening. While there he bought and shipped live stock and farm produce on an extensive scale. In 1915 he went to Chicago, and took the full course in Jones School of Auctioneering. With that experience he took up the profession of auctioneering, and has been a great success in that line. He knows how to handle auctions of household goods, farm equipment, stock, and rural and city property, and sometimes has nearly a hundred sales a year. Upon his return from school, Nov. 1, 1915, he came to his present location where he has a farm of eighteen acres. He finished the house and equipped it with modern improvements, he erected a garage, and he thoroughly renovated and repaired the barns, silo and outbuildings. Here he makes a specialty of stock and poultry raising. He has pure bred Holstein cattle, pure bred Duroc-Jersey swine, pure bred Percheron horses, and pure blooded poultry. In addition to this, he buys and sells farms, and usually is interested in from six to eight farms at a time. In addition to his other holdings, he is a stockholder in the Chetek Canning & Pickling Co., the Farmers Co-operative Store and the Farm- ers Co-operative Creamery. He is one of the most active men in the community, and is doing much to further the interests of city, township and county. Mr. Hembrook was married Nov. 30, 1905, in Antioch, Ill., to Ethel Blanche Thayer, born in Hendee Station, Lake County, Ill., June 21, 1883, daughter of Gideon and Emma (Hendee) Thayer, and granddaughter of Gideon Thayer and Cordelia Hendee. Hendee Station is named from the grandfather, Homer Hendee. Eli and George Thayer, brothers of Gideon Thayer, were veterans of the Civil War. One of them, Eli, was confined at Libby Prison, escaped, stopped to help a friend, was recaptured, and was starved to death in the prison. The Thayers were also pioneers of Hendee Station. Gideon Thayer was born March 13, 1851, and his wife, Jan. 28, 1852, and both are still living. The other child, aside from Mrs. Hembrook, was Lulu Belle, who married Alvin Vickers, of Chetek, and has three children, Lucille Cecil and Russell Merritt, living, and an unnamed infant deceased. Mrs. Hembrook graduated from the high school at Antioch, Ill., and later from the Wisconsin State Normal School at Milwaukee. With this preparation she taught graded school at Caledonia, and high school at Waterford, both in Racine County, this state. She is a leader in Chetek society, is president of the Parent-Teachers' Association, and belongs to the Rebekah Lodge and the Relief Corps. Mr. and Mrs. Hembrook have five chil- dren, Marjorie Fern, Della Arlene, Virgil Maurice, Rollo Lynn and Beulah Mar- guerite. Marjorie Fern was born Dec. 23, 1906; Della Arlene was born July 26, 1908; Virgil Maurice was born March 4, 1910; Rollo Lynn was born June 16, 1913; Beulah Marguerite was born Aug. 10, 1915.

Nels Johnson, an early settler, now partly retired from extensive farm work, and devoting his time to a small tract in Section 21, Cumberland Town- ship, on which he settled in 1882, was born in Sweden, Jan. 26, 1848, and was reared there. He was still a young boy when he first started farm work, and in that occupation he grew to manhood. In 1882 he came to America, found his way at once to Cumberland Township, and in company with John Westin and John Hedlund, bought 80 acres in Section 21. Of this, Mr. Johnson had 26 acres. Each built a cabin on his place, in order that they might be near together for mutual sociability, protection and help. Later in the same year,

Digitized by Google

441

HISTORY OF BARRON COUNTY

Mr. Johnson bought 60 acres more in Section 21, and still later he bought 80 acres in Section 28, making a total of 166 acres. Beginning with this log cabin and a small clearing, Mr. Johnson gradually developed a good farm. He erected a good set of frame buildings on Section 21, and cleared in all 136 acres. Here he successfully carried on general farming and dairying. In 1918 he sold all his land except the original 26 acres, and there he is now making his home, having lived here nearly forty years. He was one of the original stockholders of the Cumberland Farmers Light & Power Co. and when the line was put through, installed lights on his farm. He is a man of solid worth, who has always been an industrious and hardworking citizen, and he is much honored and respected throughout the community, both by those who knew him in the days when he was struggling to get a start, and by the young people of the present generation. Mr. Johnson was married in Sweden, Dec. 9, 1872, to .Clare E. Lovedahl, who was born in that country, Oct. 20, 1845. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have eight children. Frank, an energetic farmer, was born March 24, 1874, and is with his parents at home. Nels was born Nov. 24, 1876, and died Nov. 25, 1915. He was a young man of unusual promise, well liked by all who knew him. Gust was born Jan. 31, 1878, and died June 3, 1881. Johan was born May 22, 1880, and died Sept. 2, 1882. John was born Feb. 8, 1883, and is employed in Cumberland. Edla M. was born Jan. 31, 1885, and is the wife of Joseph Linberg, of Two Harbors, Minn. Emily T. was born April 26, 1887, and is at home. Sidney J. was born April 26, 1890, and died June 10, 1892. The family faith is that of the Swedish Lutheran Church.

Anton Erickson, for nearly forty years one of the well-known and influ- ential men of the northwestern part of the county, and now the owner of a good farm in Sections 30 and 31, Cumberland Township, was born in Sweden, May 5, 1859, the son of Erick and Anna (Wickstrom) Erickson, who spent the span of their years in that country. He attended school in his native land, and as a youth and young man was employed there. In 1882 he came to Amer- ica, landed at Quebec, Canada, and came directly to Barron County, where he found employment in the mill owned by the Sprague Sawmill Co., in Crystal Lake Township, not far from Comstock. In 1887 he bought 80 acres of wild land in Section 31, Cumberland Township. He put up a set of buildings, estab- lished his home here, and started clearing the land. His first set of buildings were burned down. He at once replaced them, but that set, in turn, was also burned. Then he built the present set, sightly in appearance and adequate for all his needs. He has stumped and cleared about 70 acres, and has a well- kept place in every particular. In 1913 he bought an additional 40 acres in Section 30, making him a total of 120 acres. Here he carries on general farm- ing and dairying in a modern manner. He has a good herd of Holsteins, headed by a pure-blooded sire. Mr. Erickson's talents have a number of times been called into requisition by the public for public service. In 1905 he was ap- pointed road commissioner and served for fourteen years. In 1919 he was elected town supervisor and did most admirable work. For nearly twenty- five years he has been the efficient director of his school district, and the school has prospered under his sensible care. His holdings include stock in the Cum- berland Creamery. All in all, Mr. Erickson is a useful, active citizen, whose work and worth has been important in the story of the growth and progress of the township, and who has always been willing to do his share in every worthy project. Mr. Erickson was married at Cumberland to Louise Larson, who was born on Aug. 25, 1860, in Sweden. She died Aug. 4, 1896. This union was blessed with three children: Jessie, who was born Feb. 29, 1888, and is now the wife of Gust H. Olson, of Cumberland Township. Arthur V. was born Aug. 17, 1889, and is in Cumberland City. James was born July 2, 1891, and is at home. Mr. Erickson was married to Johana Drumdahl, who was born in Norway, Nov. 27, 1865, the daughter of Hans and Ellen (Engebretson) Drumdahl, both of whom are now deceased. This union has been blessed with seven children. Walter was born March 16, 1898; Mildred E. was born Oct. 21, 1899; Enoch W.

Digitized by Google

442

HISTORY OF BARRON COUNTY

was born Sept. 1, 1901; Edna J. was born Dec. 30, 1903; John A. was born April 1, 1906; Anna O. was born April 10, 1908; and Violet H. was born Nov. 13, 1911. The family faith is that of the Swedish Lutheran Church.

Fred J. Yousten, an energetic and progressive farmer of Section 31, Clin- ton Township, was born in St. Paul, Minn., Aug. 6, 1890, the son of Hubert and Elizabeth Yousten, natives of Germany. These good people came to the United States about 1885, and located at St. Paul, where they did small farm- ing and market gardening. From there, in 1892, they came to Barron County, and bought 80 acres in Section 31, Clinton Township. This was all wild land. He cleared a small space for a garden and home lot, and put up a log cabin, a part of which was used by the family for a home, and a part for a barn. Later he built another cabin for a home, and used the first building for a barn. In all he cleared about 20 acres. This he farmed until his death, April, 1907. The mother is still living. In the family there were eight children, of whom there are now living, seven: Fred J., Lizzie, wife of John Pimple; Nick, Hubert, Anna, Margaret and Albert. After her husband's death, Mrs. Yous- ten married John Zeuttle, of Turtle Lake, this county. Fred J. was brought to Barron County as an infant. He was reared on the home farm, and attended school over the line in Almena Township. He learned farming from his father, and after his father's death, rented the place for a while. In 1919 he bought it. To the development and operation of this place he has since devoted his attention. They have a pleasant residence, where he and his wife delight in dispensing hospitality to their friends. In 1920 he built a barn, 34 by 82 feet, with a 50-foot basement for stock. He has also put up a granary, machine shed, pump house, and other buildings. He successfully carries on general farming and dairying, and has a good herd of Holstein cattle, headed by a full blooded sire. The cream is sold to the Barron Cream- ery Co. Mr. Yousten makes a specialty of potatoes and cabbages. He has made a special study of these crops, and is regarded as an authority. Mr. Yousten was married at Almena, Oct. 27, 1915, to Minnie Naser, the daughter of John and Louisa Naser, natives of Germany, both now living in the town of Almena. Mr. and Mrs. Yousten have a daughter, Leona, born Aug. 10, 1919. The family faith is that of the Roman Catholic Church.

John Kleve, proprietor of a well-established blacksmith shop in Chetek. is a pioneer of Barron County, a man well known and respected, who has arisen from poverty, struggled bravely against misfortune, and is now well-to-do. He has educated his children and given them a good financial start in life, and his record as a man, a citizen and a father is above reproach. He was born in Germany, Oct. 12, 1850, son of Carl and Mary (Fidler) Kleve. When he was seven years old his father died, and he passed from his mother's care into that of different neighbors, passing from family to family. The mother after the father's death married Michael Bruzak, who after her death, came to America and died in Canton, in this county. At the age of sixteen, John Kleve began to learn the blacksmith trade, which he had to do at his own ex- pense, even boarding himself. After being thus occupied for nine months, he was called to military service for three years in the regular army, after which he worked in a government shop as a blacksmith. But this work, with its confining hours and strict discipline savored too much of slavery, and young John determined to seek the freer customs of America. Accordingly he set out with his brother, Robert, now a resident of Canton, this county, and after landing at New York, June 6, 1875, found his way to Princeton, Green Lake County, Wis., where he met friends who directed him to Marquette County, also in this state, where he engaged in mill work. Strong and in- dustrious, he was an expert workman, made many staunch friends, and gradually acquired a good knowledge of the English language. He came to Barron County with an uncle in 1877, worked for him for a while, then worked in the harvest fields in Minnesota, and then did a little at his trade as a black- smith. In the fall of that year he took a homestead of 160 acres in Chetek

Digitized by Google

MR. AND MRS. JOHN KLEVE

Digitized by Google

Digitized by y Google

443

HISTORY OF BARRON COUNTY

Township. While developing this farm he eked out the family funds by work- ing in the lumber woods in the winter and by doing odd jobs at blacksmith- ing. In 1889 just when success was in his grasp, and the family were grad- ually acquiring the comforts of life, six children died, then the mother, and then the youngest infant, a few months old, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Koehler, Rice Lake. The five remaining children were sent for a time to a Home in La Crosse, this state, and Mr. Kleve gave up the farm. After working a short time in New Auburn, this state, he established himself in his present business at his present location on Main street, in Chetek. He had previously purchased three lots and a house in Beagle's Addition, across the lake, and the house he now moved to a site adjoining his shop, thus establish- ing his home. For many years he worked strenuously, having an establish- ment for general blacksmithing, wagon making, and wood and iron working incident to his other business. Of late years he has diminished his ac- tivities somewhat, especially in the horseshoeing line, but he likes to keep busy, and is not content unless he is still working about the shop. Aside from building up a good business he has helped in the development of the town, and has been especially interested in the purchase and maintainance of the Fair grounds and the Chautauqua grounds. He has been an ideal father in every way. All his children have been given a financial start in life, and his son Paul, the youngest child, has been presented with a fine farm, valued at $15,000. More than this, his life is a record of which the children may well be proud, and his descendants for generations will know of him as a respected and honored citizen. Mr. Kleve was married in 1876 at Prince- ton, Wis., to Rosalie Kabolen, who came as an orphan from Germany, and who, as noted died in 1889, leaving six children, John, Martha, Thomas, Steven and Emma, and one who died in infancy. He was married Nov. 5, 1890, to Alvina Zaudke, the daughter of Frank and Christina (Cloksen) Zaudke, who died in Germany. She came to America with friends when she was about thirty-five, and settled with them at Cameron, this county. By this union there is a son, Paul, and a child who died in infancy. After her marriage, Mrs. Kleve became a mother to her husband's motherless children, and reared them as her own. John is a machinist and expert blacksmith at Winchester, Wis. Martha is the wife of Thomas Stevens, of Idaho. She is an unusual woman, skilled in whatever she cares to undertake. While at the Wisconsin State Normal School, at Superior, she maintained the highest record in her class, and for three years was a popular teacher at Catawba, Wis. Thomas is identified with the lumber business, working as far west as the state of Washington. Steven lives in Montana. Emma is the wife of Selwyn Brown of Idaho. Paul farms on the outskirts of Chetek. In 1919 he married Emily Young. All the mem- bers of the family are well thought of in the community.

Willard Lilly, farmer of Section 21, Clinton Township, and state highway patrolman, was born in Buchanan County, Iowa, July 22, 1863, the son of George and Mary Lilly, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Canada, who were married in Iowa, and spent the remainder of their lives in that state, he being a farmer and carpenter. In the family there were ten children: Melissa, Minnie, Carrie, James, Edward, Willard, David, George, Emma and William. Carrie, and William, twin brother of Willard, are dead. The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in his native state, worked about as a farm hand for a while, and later became a renter. In 1902 he came to Barron County, and bought 120 acres in Section 29, Clinton Township. This was all wild land. He erected a good set of buildings, cleared up, fenced, and equipped the land, and there carried on general farming and dairying until the spring of 1920. He then bought .his present improved place of 120 acres in Section 21, in the same township. This is an excellent farm with sightly buildings, and with land well tilled and cultivated. The equipment is adequate, and includes considerable modern machinery. The stock is ex- cellent, and includes graded Guernsey cattle, and Poland-China and Chester-

Digitized by Google

444

HISTORY OF BARRON COUNTY

White swine. Cream is sold to the Barron Creamery Co. Mr. Lilly has been interested in good roads for many years. He has been pathmaster of his dis- trict for some time, and is now the state patrolman on Route 14. He thorough- y understands his business, he is keeping his territory in good repair, and his courtesy and obliging disposition commends itself to all travelers and tourists. Fraternally, Mr. Lilly is a member of the Almena Lodge of Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Lilly was married at Lowerville, Iowa, on Sept. 20, 1894, to Anna Gilbert, the daughter of Frank and Emma Gilbert, both of whom are now deceased, the former having been frozen to death while deer hunting. In the family there were three children, Anna being the only one now living. Mr. and Mrs. Lilly have had four children: Everett, Clyde and Merle, at home; and James, deceased. All the members of the family are well regarded in the community.

William Meisegeier, a highly regarded citizen of Section 2, Clinton Town- ship is one of the county's leading citizens, and has accomplished much of good for the dairy interests of this region. He was born in Sheboygan County, Wis., Nov. 6, 1885, the son of Carl and Catherine (Bone) Meisegeier, early settlers. He came to Barron County with his parents when he was six years of age. He attended school in the district, was reared on the home place, and learned farming from his father. As a young man he learned the mason's trade, which he followed for many years. In 1907 he bought 80 acres in Section 2, Clinton Township, of which some twenty acres had been cleared. Here he has put up a fine set of buildings. The modern home, is a seven- room building, with many comforts and conveniences, including electric lights and running hot and cold water. The barn is 36 by 60 feet, with a lean- to, 24 by 30 feet. It has a full basement, is installed with West Bend equip- ment, and has electric lights and running water. There are also other suita- ble buildings. Mr. Meisegeier is successfully carrying on general farming with especial attention to dairying. He is widely known as a breeder of full blooded Holsteins. He is the first man in this vicinity to have a full blooded Holstein herd, and he has done much to improve the standard of stock through- out the county. His herd now consists of 24 registered cattle, and he also owns a half interest in two registered sires. Several of his cows have a record of 96 pounds of milk a day, and 271/2 pounds of butter fat a week. In other ways as well, Mr. Meisegeier is a real leader in the community. For three years he was president of the Farmers' Co-operative Store Co., operating the farmers' store at Poskin. He is a director of the Mckinley Telephone Co., and a stockholder in the Poskin State Bank. He has been actively interested in the Federal Farm Loan work in this part of the county. In public life, he has done most active work as town supervisor and assessor, and in his school district he has been a valued member of the board for a dozen years. His life is of real benefit to the community, and he is still striving ahead. Mr. Meisegeier was married at Cumberland, this county, Jan. 25, 1909, to Ella Kuhrt, who was born in Sheboygan County, Wis., Feb. 22, 1885, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kuhrt, natives of Germany, and early settlers of Barron County, the former of whom is still living and the latter of whom is dead. Mr. Meisegeier and his good wife have seven bright children: William Edward, Helen Bertha, Ervin Woodrow, Mildred, Paul Frederick, Mary Eliza- beth and Robert Melvin, the older of whom are doing well with their studies in the public schools.

Christ Hanson, pioneer, who has lived on a farm in Section 14 for over forty years, and has lived on his present place in Section 20 for five years, has seen this region develop from a wilderness, and in that development has taken his full share and part. He was born in Norway, April 25, 1846, the son of Hans and Kari Hanson, who came from Norway to the United States in the seventies and located in Fillmore County, Minn., where they lived with a son, until their death. In the family there were eight children: Eric, Ole, Stephen, Christ, Hans, Peter, Sarah (deceased), who married Christ Nelson (deceased),

Digitized by Google

Digitized by y Google

JOHN J. MALONE AND FAMILY

Digitized by Google

445

HISTORY OF BARRON COUNTY

and Mary, who married Knute Olson, now of Canada. Christ attended school in Norway, and as a young man worked on farms and in the woods. He came to America in 1869, and found his way to Amherst, in Fillmore County, Minn., where he worked on farms. In 1875 he came to Barron County, and home- steaded 160 acres in Section 14, Clinton Township. This was a beautiful tract, all wild, covered with heavy timber, and surrounding a pretty little lake. He made the trip here in a covered wagon, drawn by a pair of oxen. One cow was led, and part of the way the family walked. Upon reaching here, they con- tinued to live in the wagon until he could get a little clearing made and a log cabin up. When the cabin was completed, they moved into it. This was burned, and another was erected to replace it. This in turn was burned, and then a frame house was put up. By hard work, self sacrifice, and never end- ing toil, he built up a good farm. Here he continued general farming and dairying for 41 years. In 1916 he sold the place, and purchased 40 acres in Section 20, where he now lives. In his long residence here he has taken his part in everything that he has believed to be for the best good of the com- munity. He has been chairman of the town board, thus giving good service both to the town and to the county. For many years he showed absolute fair- ness and good judgment as township assessor. One year he was town treas- urer. He has also done most excellent work on the school board. The Nor- wegian Lutheran Church has found in him an active supporter and liberal contributor. Mr. Hanson was married in Norway, in June, 1867, to Olea Olson, who was born in Norway, in 1848, the daughter of Ole Olson. Mrs. Hanson, a most worthy woman, who was a loyal wife and sympathetic mother, and generous and kindly neighbor, died July 12, 1919. Of their large family of children there are now living five. Ole is in Spooner, Minn. Christopher is at Park Falls, Wis. Kari is the wife of W. M. Rogers, of Nelson, Minn. Emma is the wife of W. C. Jeffrey, of Cumberland. Sophia is the wife of Elias Lamb, of Barron Township.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 74

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

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