History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 3

Author: Keyes, Elisha W. (Elisha Williams), 1828-1910
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Madison, Wi. : Western Historical Association
Number of Pages: 998

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

board of directors of the Albion Fire Insurance Co. and its presi- dent since 1898. He is a trustee and devoted member of the East Koshkonong Congregational church. Andrew is a farmer of Al- bion. Peter B. resides in Stoughton. Maria is Mrs. Allen Alme of Pleasant Springs, Wis. Henry C. owns one hundred and sixty acres of the old farm, where he carries on a prosperous general farming business. His especial interest is live-stock, which he raises for pleasure as well as profit. Durham cattle and French coach horses are bred upon his farm. Martin O. is a farmer at the old home. Joseph is a farmer and real estate dealer of Stoughton. Dena Elizabeth is Mrs. Gulich Osgarn of Pleasant Springs. Ed- ward J. is a photographer of Minneapolis. Olive J. married Otto N. Nelson of Albion. Mr. Anderson lived on the farm he bought when he first came to Wisconsin until Jan. 31, 1888, when he died surrounded by his children.

Osvald C. Andersen, a leading merchant tailor of Madison. whose place of business is at 27 North Pinckney street, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on May 14, 1874. He is a son of Ole and Johanna (Nelson) Andersen. The father is still a resident of Co- penhagen, where he is foreman in a sugar factory. Although six- ty-four years of age he is still in vigorous health. He has never even visited the New World. The mother died in 1885 at the age of forty-two. Both she and her husband were members of the Lutheran church. Another son, Charles W., and the only other child, is a jeweler in Madison. The subject of this sketch was edu- cated and learned his trade in Copenhagen. In 1892 he sought new fields and came to the United States, locating in Buffalo, N. Y., where for a short time he worked as a coat maker. For a short time Mr. Andersen was employed in Chicago, and in July, 1893, arrived in Madison. He found employment with L. W. Gay and worked for him until 1899 when he became a partner, the firm name being Gay & Andersen. In 1902 Mr. Gay left the firm to enter the real estate business and since that time Mr. Andersen has con- ducted the business alone. That he is an excellent and thor- ough workman both as a ladies' and gentlemen's tailor is proven by the prosperity which has been his. On Dec. 5, 1896, Mr. Ander- sen married Sofie, daughter of L. and M. Jensen of Aarhus, Den- mark. This union has been blessed with four children, Victor S .. Olga F., Waldemar C. and Osvald N. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ander- son are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Mr. Ander- son is a member and treasurer of the Madison society of the Danish Brotherhood of America. Modest, retiring and courteous he is a

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

model c'tizen who has won for himself a large place in the com- munity.

Hon. Rasmus B. Anderson is without doubt the most distin- guished and widely known of American-Scandinavians. The basic facts of his birth and birthplace are as follows: he is native-born, but of Scandinavian parentage; his native village being Albion, Dane county, and the date January 12, 1846. About his parentage there is a flavor of romance, as, contrary to all the unwritten but inexorable caste laws of European countries, there was consum- mated, in 1830, a marriage between the son of a Norse Quaker peas- ant, Bjorn Anderson, and Catherine Von Krogh, the daughter of Lieutenant Von Krough, of a long line of aristocratic, military an- cestors. Following the bitter disapproval of Mrs. Anderson's family, Björn Anderson organized a movement for the planting of a Norse colony in America, a movement which was consummated in 1836 by the arrival in this country of the first large company of Nor- wegian emigrants. After a stay of two years in Rochester, N. Y., Mr. and Mrs. Anderson moved west, first to a Norse settlement in LaSalle county, Ill., and later to the town of Albion, Dane county, then an unbroken forest wilderness. There some ten years later, their son, Rasmus, was born, his father's death following four years after. in 1850. The son received his first instruction in the district schools, and in his early teens was already preparing, under the tutorage of a Lutheran pastor, for his collegiate work; this he be- gan at a college founded by Norse Lutherans, at Decorah, Iowa, known at that time as Luther College. Even at that time he evinced an independence of spirit which brought him into collision with the college authorities, and which has always since character- ized his public utterances. Notwithstanding this, however, his acquirements as a linguist were such that in 1866, when he was only twenty years of age, he received the appointment as professor of Greek and the modern languages at Albion Academy, in this county. His work in that department soon attracted the atten- tion of the officials of the University of Wisconsin, and after a few months of post-graduate work, he was appointed instructor in lan- guages in that institution. In 1875, the chair of Scandinavian lan- guages and literature was created for him, and this position he filled until 1883, when he resigned to devote himself to other lines of work. During his work in the university, Mr. Anderson had made the acquaintance of his distinguished countryman, Ole Bull, and in company with him visited Norway in 1872. This compan- ionship was the means of his introduction to the most noted schol-

BIOGRAPHICAL.

ars and literary people of the Scandinavian countries. Bjorn Björn- son being among the latter. Ole Bull heartily seconded Professor Anderson's project of founding a Scandinavian department in the university library,. and gave him valuable assistance toward the attainment of that purpose. This acquaintance abroad, his early writings and translations, and his lectures on Norse mythology and literature delivered between the years 1874 and 1877, in Bos- ton. Baltimore and other places, prepared him for the position of United States minister to Denmark which was tendered him in 1885, by President Cleveland. This position he held for four years, and filled so well that upon the election of President Harrison, a petition, signed by many prominent men of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, was presented, asking for his retention in that office, his strong personality and varied accomplishments rendering him an acceptable addition to social and literary as well as to diplomatic circles. Professor Anderson is at the present time occupying an editorial chair in the sanctum of "Amerika." one of the largest Nor- wegian papers in the United States and one which by reason of his vigorous political writings exerts a wide influence among the num- erous Norse people of the country and especially of the large com- munities of the middle west. Ever since his early controversies with the clergy of the Norse Lutheran church on the subject of their attitude toward the public schools. Professor Anderson has stood for, not alone a loyal interest in the mother country, but for the adaptation of foreign elements to the use and advancement of the home of their adoption, and has thus rendered a positive serv- ice not only to his own countrymen, but to this country. as well, in its difficult task of transmutating into a homogeneous whole the conflicting elements of which this nation is composed. Of Profes- sor Anderson's voluminous work as a writer, space will not permit a detailed account. His first book, "Julegave." was written in Nor- wegian in 1871. This is a collection of Norse folklore stories. and was followed in 1874 by "Den Norske Maalsag." also in Nor- wegian. His first book in English was "America not Discovered by Columbus," which has passed through a number of editions and was translated into Norwegian. His "Norse Mythology," pub- lished in 1875, is the book which established his literary reputation. It has been translated into four or five languages and is generally accepted, even by the most critical authorities, as the only adequate and authorative treatment of this subject in the English language. "The Viking Tales from the North," "The Younger Edda," "History of the Literature of the Scandinavian

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

North. from the Earliest Period to the Present Time," "The Elder Edda," are some of his principal translations. He also wrote an introduction of fifty pages to Auber Forestier's translation of "The. Spellbound Fiddler," a "Guide into Teutondom," etc. Beside his numerous books Professor Anderson has been a wide contributor to the best current magazine literature, appearing in the Atlantic Monthly, the Epitome of Literature, the Journal of Comparative Literature, the American Antiquarian, the London Academy, etc. He has published a number of pamphlets in both the English and Norse languages on various subjects, and has been a contributor to five or six of the leading enclyclopedias, including the American supplement to the Brittanica, Chamber's and Johnson's. A glance over a complete bibliography of Professor Anderson's literary work, -which includes many books, pamphlets and articles beside those enumerated, but largely along the same line of the Scandinavian language, literature and early religion,-show that his work is largely of a critical rather than of a creative nature. What a man of his linguistic ability, excellent diction and industry might have accomplished in the line of more original work, if he had not been so strongly attracted to the poetical and fascinating lore of the northern myths, can be only surmised, but he could probably have achieved success in almost any line of literature to which he ad- dressed himself. In the work actually accomplished he has suc- ceeded in opening. to a large class of readers, the gates to fresh and fascinating fields of literature. Professor Anderson has been selected as editor-in-chief of what will be, when completed, the most sumptuous edition of works in Scandinavian subjects ever is- sued. This is a fifteen volume library representative of Scandi- navian mythology, romance, folk-lore and history, and known as the Norroena Library. The mechanical work on these volumes represents the highest art in bookmaking. Professor Anderson married, July 21, 1868, Miss Bertha K. Oleson, of Cambridge, Wis .. a native of Christiania, Norway, who came to this country with her parents, when she was a child. They have had five children : Hannah B., born April 18, 1869; died April 18, 1870; Carletta C., born December 4, 1870; George K., born November 7, 1872; Hjal- mar O., born June 7, 1876 ; and Rolf Bull, born December 17, 1883. The family resides at 316 North Carroll street, Madison.

Sern Edward Anderson has always lived in Albion and is the son of one of its pioneers. Amund Anderson. Amund was born in Norway in March, 1806, and in 1840 settled in Dane county, Wis. ITis wife. Ingeborg, was first married to Erick Johnson, with

COLONEL AND MRS. WILLIAM H. ANGELL.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

whom she left Norway in 1836 and came to the United States, landing in New York city after a stormy voyage of thirteen weeks. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson lived in La Salle, Ill., where Mr. Johnson died in 1838, leaving two children and his young wife. John, the oldest son, served in the First Kansas Volunteers for five years and went to Wyoming where he engaged in mining and ranching. Betsey Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Erick Johnson married John J. Naset of Bloomer. Mrs. Johnson married Amund Ander- son and came with him to Albion, Wis., where in 1840 he pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 2. Settlers were few in the vicinity at that day but two other families came from Illinois with the Anderson's and located near by. They were devoted members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and belonged to the East Koshkonong church from its organization. Six chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson: Martha is the widow of Thore Smithback of Christiania ; Andrew A., who farms part of the old homestead. married Sarah Hendrickson and after her death, married Agnes Johnson; Sern E. lives at the old home. Marie Ingeborg is the widow of N. E. Smithback of Christiania; Martin is a prosperous farmer of Oakland, Wis .; Sena is the wife of C. O. Tellefson of Rockdale. Sern E. was born on the farm at Albion, April 26, 1848, attended such schools as the district afforded at that time and early interested himself in the work of his father's farm. In March, 1874, he married Miss Helen Matteson, who came from Norway in 1868 with her parents and lived at Rockdale. Two children blessed the marriage; Adolph, who married Betsey Johnson, is a farmer and resides at the old homestead; Nordahl is also at home. Mrs. Anderson died in 1890. She and her husband always attended the East Koshkonong church. Mr. Anderson has never held political office but is a Republican in his political affilia- tions. He is secretary of the Hillside Creamery Co.

William H. Angell is one of the sterling pioneers and most hon- ored and influential citizens of the village of Sun Prairie, where he has maintained his home for more than sixty years, having been prominently identified with the developed of the village and sur- rounding country. Colonel Angell was born in West Haven, Addi- son county. Vermont, on June 20, 1813, and he has ever exempli- fied the sturdy attributes so characteristic of the true New England type, while he is a representative of families founded in that sec- tion in the colonial era of our national history. He is a son of Newell and Charity (Blackman) Angell, the former of whom was born in Washington county, New York, on December 20, 1879.

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

while the latter was born in the same state, on April 17, 1789, while her death occurred in West Haven, Vermont. on June 23, 1822. Newell Angell was a millwright by trade, and he came to Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, in 1846, to take charge of the erection of a mill for his son, William H., the subject of this sketch, passing the re- mainder of his life in the Badger state. He died in Vernon county, on March 9, 1863, and his remains rest in the cemetery at Sun Prairie. After the death of his first wife he married Mary Hollis Ransome. who was born in Connecticut, in 1801, and who died in Vernon county, Wisconsin, on November 5, 1872. Newell Angell was always a stanch advocate of the principles and policies of the Democratic party, and was prominent in public affairs in Vermont for many years, having been a man of much intellectual power and mature judgment. He was a son of Augustus Angell, who served in the Continental line in the War of the Revolution. having en- listed when but fourteen years of age; the latter's father likewise rendered valiant service as a patriot soldier in the great struggle for independence. Augustus Angell and also his son, Newell, were soldiers in the war of 1812. Colonel William H. Angell, who secured his title from able service as lieutenant colonel in the Vermont militia, was reared on the homestead farm of his paternal grandfather, in the old Green Mountain state, being identified with the work and management of the same until he had attained the age of eighteen years, while he was accorded the advantages of the common schools of the locality and period. Thereafter he was engaged in farm work and employed more or less at the carpen- ter's trade until 1844, when he determined to immigrate to Wis- consin and cast in his lot with the pioneers of that territory which was not admitted to the Union until about four years later, in 1848. He made his way to Dane county, whose manifold attractions proved adequate to cause him to make permanent location here. He took up his residence in Sun Prairie. being practically one of the founders of the village, and he forthwith identified himself with the interests of the locality and showed the progressive spirit and indomitable enterprise which have made the men of New England such valuable pioneers in opening up the various western states. He erected a grist and saw mill in the embryonic village, in 184%, and he has ever since been identified with the lumber business here, having formerly conducted extensive operations in the manufacturing of lumber, while it may consistently be noted in this connection that he furnished the oak lumber for the con- struction of the vault in the office of the state treasurer in the old

BIOGRAPHICAL.

capitol in the city of Madison. In 1868, associated with two other representative citizens, Colonel Angell formulated the charter un- der which Sun Prairie was incorporated as a village, and he had the distinction of being chosen first president of said village, while since that time he has been called upon to serve in this capacity for many years, having been elected at varying intervals and hav- ing ever shown a lively and insistent interest in all that has con- cerned the welfare and material progress of the town and its peo- ple. Colonel Angell has an attractive residence in Sun Prairie, where he also owns considerable other real estate, while in the vicinity he has a finely improved farm of one hundred acres. He has been most successful in his business career, and for a number of years past has given considerable attention to the extending of financial loans on real estate security. He is liberal, generous and public-spirited, fair and honorable in all the relations of life and expecting the same attitude on the part of others, and he has the unqualified esteem of the entire community in which he has so long lived and labored and which owes so much to his interposition. He gave nine acres of land in the village to the fire department, the same to constitute a public park, the dedication of the park occur- ring on his birthday anniversary, June 20, 1903, and being a notable public event in the locality. In politics Colonel Angell has always been firm in his allegiance to the Democratic party, having cast his first presidential vote for that stanch patriot and statesman. General Andrew Jackson. He served as supervisor of Sun Prairie township for the long period of twenty-one years, and was twice chosen chairman of the county board of supervisors. For a num- ber of years he was president of the Token Creek and Sun Prairie Anti-Horsethief association. He was the originator of the Sun Prairie Cemetery association, with which he was identified for fifty- two years. He has been for many years a consistent and valued member of the local Baptist church, which he has served in the capacity of trustee, his wife also having been a devoted member of the same church. On January 16, 1844, Colonel Angell was united in marriage to Miss Electa L. Abernethy, who was born in Addison county, Vermont, in 1818, and who remained his faithful and cherished companion on the journey of life for more than half a century, the gracious association being terminated with her death, April 8, 1895. Of the six children of this union all died young except two sons. William Edwin, who was reared and edu- cated in Sun Prairie, was a soldier in a Wisconsin regiment in the Civil War, and is now associated with his father in the lumber

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

business : Darwin C., who was likewise reared in Sun Prairie, passed fifteen years in the west, having been engaged in the coal business in Kansas, but he is now associated with his father, under the firm name of William H. Angell & Son.

Andrew E. Arneson is one of the most highly respected citizens of the village of Mt. Horeb, and while he has not been a lifelong resident of Dane county his residence has been so near the dividing I'ne that his interests have been identical with those of her citizens. He was born in Norway on February 25, 1840, and is the son of Allen and Sarah Arneson, who came to America in 1850 and lo- cated in the town of Blue Mounds. The father was a farmer in the old country and after his migration to the United States he followed the same occupation until his death, which event oc- curred in 1852, and the mother still resides on the old home place at the advanced age of ninety-six years. The subject of this re- view is one of eleven children born to these parents, seven of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. Mr. Arneson was permitted to attend school only about two or three months, but by close ap- plication of his talents and the exercise of his perceptive faculties he has overcome this handicap to a considerable degree and is a well-informed man. He commenced his independent career as a farmer when but nineteen years old at Ridgeway, Iowa county, Wis., where he purchased land and followed the occupation of a tiller of the soil until 1897. On account of ill health in the latter year he retired, and since that time has been a resident of Mt. Horeb. He was married in 1861 to Miss Mary Anderson of Perry, Dane county, daughter of Halfer Anderson and wife, who settled in Dane county in 1854 and are both now deceased. To the sub- ject of this review and wife there have been born eleven children, six of whom are living: Julia married C. M. Grimstad and resides in Brigham township, Iowa county ; Andeline married G. G. Mandt and resides at Stoughton. Dane county; Emma married A. F. Gramm and resides in Mt. Horeb ; Henry remains on the home farm; Sarah married T. J. Dahle and is now deceased ; Ida married Peter Nace and resides near Mt. Horeb; and Clarence remains at home with his parents. While living in Iowa county Mr. Arneson served as town assessor one year, and as chairman of the town board twelve years; and since his removal to Mt. Horeb he has served as president of the village five years and as supervisor three years. He is a member of the Lutheran church, is one of the trustees of the local church organization, and fraternally he is one of the worthy and honored members of Ren. Dickison post,

BIOGRAPHICAL.

G. A. R. The latter distinction is of course accorded him by reason of his service in the military service of the United States during the Civil War. He enlisted on February 14, 1865, in Com- pany A. Forty-ninth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, as a private, and served with that command until November 8, 1865, when he was mustered out with his regiment, by general orders from the war department. The regiment left the state on March 8, 1865, and after reaching St. Louis was sent to Rolla, Mo., where it was engaged in guard duty during the greater part of the term of service. Mr. Arneson also had two brothers in the service, Christ Arneson, enlisted on October 19, 1861, in Company C, Fifteenth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and d'ed on February 10, following, of disease contracted in the service. Allen Arneson entered the service on September 19, 1864, as a private in Company G, Sixteenth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and served until June 5, 1865, when he was mustered out on ac- count of the cessation of hostilities. having participated with Sher- man in the March to the sea and the campaign of the Carolinas.

Christ Asbjornson, a prominent retired farmer of Stoughton, was born near Flekkefjord, Norway, January 7, 1840, and is a son of Asbjorn and Isabel (Thompson) Hanson, who immigrated to America in 1852, making Dane county their destination. They passed the first winter in Dunkirk township and in the following spring the father purchased eighty acres of wild land in Pleasant Springs township. He reclaimed a portion of the tract to cultiva- tion and made good improvements on the property. He there con- tinued to reside until 1885, wlien he returned to Dunkirk township, where he passed the remainder of his life, having attained to the venerable age of ninety-four years. He reared a family of four sons, Hans C., Tom, Peter C., and Christ. Tom is now deceased. The subject of this review received his early educational training in the schools of his native land. having been twelve years of age at the time of the family immigration to America. He was reared to manhood on the old homestead farm, in Pleasant Springs town- ship, where he remained until 1885, when he purchased two hun- dred acres of land in Dunkirk township and removed to the same. In 1893 he bought another farm of two hundred acres, one hun- dred and sixty acres of the tract being in Dunkirk township and the remaining forty in Albion township. He still owns both farms, with the exception of eighty acres of the latter. which he sold. He continued to reside on the place first mentioned until 1901, when he retired and took up his residence in Stoughton, where he owns

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

an attractive home, on East Main street. He has been most suc- cessful as a farmer, having accumulated a handsome property and being one of the substantial and popular citizens of the county in which he has so long lived and so effectively labored. He has been one of the extensive tobacco-growers of the county, and his farms. are largely devoted to this product at the present time. In politics Mr. Asbjornson is a stanch adherent of the Republican party, and he has been accorded distinctive marks of popular confidence and esteem. He served as supervisor of Dunkirk township for three years, was clerk of the school board two terms and in 1904 he was elected alderman of Stoughton, from the second ward, serving one term. Both he and his wife are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church in Stoughton. In 1878, Mr. Asbjornson was married to Miss Helen Severson, daughter of Sever Michaelson, one of the well known pioneers of Dane county, whither he came from Norway. The children of this union are three in number: Emma is the wife of Abram Severson, Thea is the wife of Trace Christenson, a prominent jeweler of Stoughton, and Andrew, the eldest of the three, is one of the successful farmers of the county.

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History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 3

Author: Keyes, Elisha W. (Elisha Williams), 1828-1910 Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Madison, Wi. : Western Historical Association Number of Pages: 998

Author: Keyes, Elisha W. (Elisha Williams), 1828-1910
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Madison, Wi. : Western Historical Association
Number of Pages: 998