USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical > Part 54
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Andrew N. Korrison is a well known citizen of Morrisonville, where he has lived since 1903, and has always been occupied with farming. His father, Nels Korrison, was born in Leardal, Norway, November 17, 1824, was educated in the common schools and there married to Miss Ann Tolifson, who was a native of the same place, born in 1829. They made their home in Leardal, until 1855 and then came to America, continuing their journey as far west as Dane county, Wisconsin. After a short time spent in that locality, they moved to the township of Elba, Dodge county, Wis., which was their home until the year 1878. At that time they came to Morrisonville, where Mrs.
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Korrison died in 1896 and her husband is still living, eighty-two years of age. Mr. Korrison has always been a farmer except for the few years he spent in the army at the time of the Civil War. He is a veteran of the Union army, having enlisted in September, 1861 as a private in Company H of the Tenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He received a wound in his right leg, from which he suffered a great deal but was not mustered out until April, 1863. Nels Korrison is a Republican in his political affiliations. With his wife and family he attended the Norwegian Lutheran church. The family numbered eleven sons and daughters, of whom four daughters and two sons are now living. Andrew N. was born in the town of Elba, November 9, 1857, attended the schools of Danville, Dodge county and early en- gaged in farming. He built up an extensive farming business which he carried on for a number of years and in 1903 came to Morrison- ville to live, where he owns a substantial and attractive residence. Mr. Korrison is allied with the Republican party in his political sym- pathies but does not devote much time to active participation in poli- tical affairs. August 15, 1886, he married Miss Maria Holst ot Peoria, Ill., and one son, John Henry, was born to them. Mrs. Kor- rison died and in April, 1900, Mr. Korrison married Miss Julia Thori, daughter of J. H. Thori, (elsewhere mentioned). Mr. and Mrs. Kor- rison are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
· Charles Korrison, a prominent business man of Morrisonville, was born at Danville, Dodge county, September 7, 1863. His father, Nels Korrison, is mentioned in this work. He received his education in his native village, and his early life and the first years of his young manhood were spent upon the farm. In 1885, he came to Madison where he worked as an engineer for five years; following this he learned the trade of the painter which he has since followed, and has, in that line built up an extensive business. In 1891, he married Miss Carrie Grove, of Morrisonville, and they have two children, Elmer, born January 7, 1892, and Clarence Levi, born January 30, 1898. His church affiliations are with the Norway Grove church, and his political alliance with the Republican party. Mrs. Korrison's parents, Eric and Carrie (Oleson) Grove came to Morrisonville about forty years ago, where Mr. Grove practiced his trade as shoemaker. They had four children, all of whom are living. He was a Repub- lican in politics, and all of the family are connected with the Norway Grove Lutheran church. Mr. Grove died in Morrisonville and his widow still makes her home in that village.
George Kraft, Sr., a leading plumber of Madison, was born in Bavaria, Germany, August 13, 1860. His parents were John and
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Anna Maria (Jordan) Kraft, natives of Germany. The father died' in the land of his nativity in 1886 at the age of fifty-eight. The mother died some fifteen years earlier in her forty-second year. George Kraft received his education in the schools of Germany and in 1880 started for America, his objective point being Madison. Upon his arrival here he went to work for Thomas Regan at the. plumbers' trade. After an apprenticeship of seven years he opened a shop of his own and his been engaged in that business ever since. Probably without an exception there is no more skilled workman in the city today than is Mr. Kraft. The quality of his labor has been such as to cause a demand for it from all sides, and as a result he has equipped the majority of the public buildings and a large number of houses, not only with the plumbing apparatus, but also with the heating attachments. In October, 1880, he mar- ried Eva, daughter of Adam and Anna Marie (Spahn) Scholl, natives of Germany. Mrs. Kraft was the only member of her family who ever came to America. To Mr. and Mrs. Kraft have been born eight children; George, Jr., and Charles are employed by their father; Anna, Louis. William, Mary, Caroline, and Joseph,. all at home. The family are members of the German Catholic church. Mr. Kraft is a member of the Catholic Foresters.
Paul Krakow, a respected farmer of the town of Deerfield, and residing now in the village of Deerfield was born at Woltersdorf, near Stettin, Germany, December 2, 1868. He was the eldest son of August Krakow and his second wife, Augusta Arndt, natives of Ger- many. In 1886 August Krakow brought his wife and family to Amer- ica, coming directly to Jefferson county. For four years he worked by the day at any job that offered and then rented a farm in Dane county for two years. When his lease ran out he returned to Jefferson county and rented another farm, which he worked until his death in 1899, leaving a widow and nine children. Paul Krakow remained with the father's family until he was twenty-seven years old and then started life for himself by buying the farm on which he now lives. Despite the fact that ill health and misfortune have been his lot for several years he has kept cheerful and worked hard, and with the help of his wife, has freed the farm of debt and made many improvements. His- is a record of which to be proud. In politics he is a Republican ; in religion a Moravian. He united in marriage with Anna, daugh- ter of William and Ida (Punzel) Liebenow, natives of Stendel, Ger- many. Mrs. Krakow was born November 2, 1870, and received her education in the public schools of Jefferson county. To Paul and Anna Krakow have been born five children,-Herbert Paul, Septem -:
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ber 30, 1897; Esther May, September 11, 1898; Gertrude Dorothy, August 12, 1900; Carl August, October 3, 1902; and Paul William, March 19, 1904. Because of ill-health and for the better educational advantages offered the children, Mr. Krakow sold his farm of ninty- six acres and moved into Deerfield village on March 4, 1906.
Lars C. Kravick has been prominent among Dane county farm- ers for a number of years and is the owner of a fine property in the town of Christiania. His father, Halvor L., was born in Numme- dahl, Norway, and came to Wisconsin in 1843. He married Miss Christina Christopherson, who came with her parents in 1842, from the same place in Norway. They were married in October, 1845, and commenced their life together on a farm of forty acres of government land obtained by Mr. Kravick in the township of Christiania. Here they built a log house and later replaced it by a substantial stone dwelling. Some years later another tract of land was added to the farm and many improvements made. For many years Mr. Kravick served on the town board, was also an active worker in school affairs and those of the Norwegian Lutheran church. He was always a stanch Republican. Lars C. is the odest of their children; Martin C. has a farm in section 36, town of Christiania; Ellen (deceased) married Rev. O. Lockensegard, principal of the high school at Madi- son, Minn. to whom two children, Olaf and Camille, were born. Maria is the wife of the Rev. K. A. Kasburg of Riceford, Minn .; Hal- vor and his wife lived for about six years in Stoughton and left there to join their daughter, Mrs. Kasburg, in Grand Forks, N. Dak., hav- ing made Minneapolis and more recently Riceford, Minn., their home. Lars C., the subject of this sketch, was born in the town of Christi- ania October 20, 1853, received his education at the home school and the Albion academy and assisted his father with the work of the farm. In 1876 he married Miss Johanna Christianson, who came to Wiscon- sin from Hedemarken, Norway in 1873. Her mother, Olga (Esark- son) Paulson came in 1888. Miss Christianson's father, Christian Paulson, died in Norway. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Kravick. Herman C. is a merchant at Cambridge and married Lena Onsgard; Ludwig, a graduate from Valparaiso College, Ind., and also a student of the Milwaukee Medical college, is engaged in the drug business at Springfield, Wis .: Osvald is deceased; Charlotte is the wife of the superintendent of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company for North Chicago and has two children, Junice R. C. and Norris L. J .; Lydia resides with her parents and attends the Stoughton high school; Asora, Arthur and Nina reside with their parents and attend the Al- bion academy; Elvin J. attends the home school. Mr. and Mrs. Kra-
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vick live on the old Kravick farm which consists of one hundred and twenty acres. They are prominent in the East Synod Lutheran church, of which Mr. Kravick has been secretary for many years. Mr Kravick is a Republican in political sympathy and has been super- visor, chairman of the town board, poor commssioner for several years and asylum trustee for six years. He is also president of the Hillside farmer's creamery.
Felix A. Kremer, supreme president of the Defenders and senior vice commander of the Sons of Veterans, was born near Mount Carroll, Ill., October 18, 1872. His parents, John M. and Josephine (Fischer) Kremer, were both born in Germany, but were married in Freeport, Ill. The paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was collector of customs at one of the large German ports. John M. Kremer came to America in 1848, the passage taking fifty-eight days, and went to work at the bookbinders' trade in Mount Carroll. Before the railroads had entered that section of the country he carried mail between Mount Carroll, Fulton and Morrison. During the Civil War he served as quartermaster's clerk in an Illinois regiment and after the close of hostilities re- turned to farming in Carroll county, Ill. He was a fine linguist, speaking French, German and English fluently. His death oc- curred December 18, 1900. Though a member of no church he and his wife were regular attendants at some religious service and were upright Christian characters. The wife and mother is still living, making her home on the old farm in Carroll county. There were nine children in the family. Herman W. is a leading farmer and stock raiser in Carroll county, Ill .; Felix A. is the subject of this sketch; Clara M. is a teacher in the Bozeman, Montana. schools; Frank is a ranchman in Gallatin county, Montana ; Harry D. is an attorney of Bozeman ; William J. is a ranch owner in Gallatin county, Montana ; John H. is a student in the Univer- sity of Montana; Lucy is attending the public schools of Boze- man ; and Charles D., a young man with a brilliant future, was accidently shot in 1895 while hunting. Felix A. Kremer received his early education in the common schools. From the time he fin- ished his schooling until he reached his majority he labored on his father's farm. With the money he had saved he attended the northern Illinois college of law at Fulton, and in 1896 was admitted to practice in the Illinois courts. From 1896 until 1899 he prac- ticed law and taught school, incidentally doing some work with fraternal insurance. In the latter year he was elected state man- ager for Wisconsin of the Mystic Workers of the World. When
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Mr. Kremer entered the insurance business he discovered the bad features of the business and became interested in working out some form of society or policy which would not only give protec- tion at the time of death but would provide relief in case of acci- dent, disability or old age. With this plan as a working principle he organized The Defenders and on January 28, 1905, incorporated the society, which is destined to become a great institution as it is the pioneer for reform in life insurance. Fraternally he is a well known, being identified with fifteen fraternal orders. He is a Mason. a member of the Eastern Star, Knights of Pythias, Rath- bone Sisters, Modern Woodmen. Mystic Workers, Royal Neigh- bors, Sons of Veterans, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and other or- ganizations. When he took the thirty-second degree in Masonry he was selected as orator of his class. He owns eleven hundred acres of land in Wisconsin and is deeply interested in agricultural pursuits. Through his work in the farmers' institutes he has gained a reputation among the rural communities that is state wide. On different occasions he has been asked to deliver Me- morial Day, Fourth of July and other addresses. During the last three presidential elections he has "taken the stump" for the Re- publican party, of which he is a zealous and active member. Mr. Kremer says that some of the best insights into life which he ever had were received while editing a country paper and again while selling books. He is unmarried. He is a fine example of a "self- made" man and has deservedly gained a position in the commercial and social life of the community of which he may well feel proud.
Rev. Gnusten G. Krostu, the subject of this sketch, was born on March 3. 1860, in Waupaca county, Wisconsin. His early education he received in the district schools of Waupaca county and at the Wau- paca high school. He continued his studies at Luther college, Decorah, Iowa, 1878-1880 and at the University of Wisconsin 1880-1881. In 1882 he took up the study of theology at the Lutheran Seminary in Madison, Wis., where he studied, 1882-1884, and in the fall of 1884 he entered Capital University, Columbus, Ohio, where he was graduated from the theological department May 22, 1885. August 16, the same year, he was ordained to the ministry by the Ohio Synod at "Grace Church" Columbus, Ohio. He came at once to Dane county where he has ever since had charge of the East and West Koshkonong and Liberty Prairie Churches of the United Norwegian Lutheran church. He resides in the original home of the pastor of this district. It was built 1844, rebuilt in 1852 and 1867. It is the oldest Norwegian par- sonage in America. It is located near the village of Utica.
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June 24, 1887 he was married to Miss Clara Augnes Hartmann of Amherst, Wisconsin, a daughter of Richard and Wilhelmina Hart- mann, who came from Saxony, Germany, to Wisconsin in 1853. Eight children were born to the marriage. The oldest daughter, Lydia, and the only son, Loy, attend St. Olaf College at Northfield, Minn. Seda, Franciska, Paulina and Glades are at home and two children died in infancy. Rev. G. G. Krostu has the use of a farm of ninety acres which belongs to his churches, and which he manages suc- cessfully in spite of his manifold church duties. His parents, Gun- sten T. and Sigrid Krostu came from Norway to Wisconsin in 1850. They were among the first settlers in Waupaca county where they have been residing ever since. They raised a large family of chil- dren-four sons and three daughters-all living in Waupaca county, except the subject of this sketch.
David A. Lackey is a well known farmer of the town of York, the son of one of Dane county's pioneers and a native of York. The family is of Scotch descent the wife and eleven children of Hugh Lackey all came to the United States. Three of his sons are living,-all residing in Wisconsin,-Thomas in Williams Bay, Hugh in Elkhorn, and Robert in Milwaukee. Their brother Archi- bald, father of David A., was born March 1, 1820, came to Wiscon- sin with the family and lived for a time in Walworth county. There he married Miss Mary Kennedy, who was born in Scotland in 1823 and came to Dane county in 1855. They subsequently came to York, purchased an eighty-acre farm and proceeded to clear and improve it. From time to time he enlarged the farm until at his death in 1891, it consisted of one hundred and eighty acres. Mr. Lackey was a Republican in politics but never active in political affairs. He and his family belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church. His family of five sons and daughters are all living, sev- eral in Dane county. David Lackey lives on the old homestead, where he was born June 2, 1862. He attended the district school and the York Center graded school and has always engaged in the business of farming. His experience of many years in the bus ness and his habit of keeping posted on all which concerns it has made him successful and he owns besides his homestead an eighty-acre farm in Taylor county, Wisconsin. He makes a specialty of Dur- ham cattle and Poland China hogs. Mr. Lackey is a Republican and active in the political world. For several years he served as clerk of the town and as assessor. December 16, 1891, he married Miss Hattie May Montgomery, who was born in York in 1872 and is the daughter of Cyrus and Mary (Webber) Montgomery. Mr. Mont-
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gomery came to York from Vermont in the early days, was a farmer there for many years and has now retired, making his home in Waterloo. Mr. and Mrs. Lackey have one daughter, Gladys May, born in 1900. The family is connected with the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Lackey is a member of the Waterloo Lodge, No. 63, F. & A. M.
Nels A. Ladd, Mr. Lyons' partner in the conduct of the Lion Laundry, was born March 11, 1870, in Pleasant Springs town, Dane county. His parents were Erick E. and Bertina (Olson) Ladd, both natives of Norway, where the father was a farmer. In 1852 he came to Wisconsin, settling on the farm in Pleasant Springs. where he lived until his death, which occurred June 4, 1895, while he was in the sixty-sixth year of his age. All during his life he was an active Democrat, and as such was twice elected county treasurer, in 1890 and in 1802. Both he and his wife were mem- bers of the Norwegian Lutheran church. The wife is still living on the old farm in the town of Pleasant Springs, and although she is nearly eighty years of age she retains wonderful possession of all her faculties. There were six children in the Ladd family, Mary, Mrs. Hans Ivers of the town of Albion ; Eric, a machinist in Stoughton ; Carrie, Mrs. Thomas Peterson, of Wallace, Id .; Susan, Mrs. A. J. Lillesand of Stoughton ; Julia, Mrs. A. T. Townsend, whose husband is a machinist in Stoughton; and Nels A., the sub- ject of this sketch. The last named received his education in the common schools of the district and graduated from Albion Academy with the class of 1889. After the father's election to office Nels came to Madison to assist him, and while here took advantage of the educational advantages offered and was graduated from the law department of the state university with the class of 1896. He began the practice at once and continued in it successfully until 1905, when he entered the laundry business with Michael L. Lyons. Like his father Mr. Ladd has taken an active interest in the Demo- cratic politics of the city and county. In 1902 he was the nominee of his party for the office of assemblyman from the Madison dis- trict, but went down to defeat before the Republican landslide of that year. He has been for five years and is now the chairman of the Democratic county committee. Fraternally Mr. Ladd is a member of the Knights of Pythias and is at present vice grand chancellor of the state ; he is also a past grand ruler of the Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks, Madison Lodge, No. 416, and has represented that lodge in the conclaves in New Orleans, At- lantic City and Salt Lake City. For five years he was head coun-
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sellor of Jurisdiction D of the Woodmen of the World, comprising the states of Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, and is now serving as a member of the board of fire and police commis- sioners of the city of Madison. On February 6, 1896, he married Miss Christena, daughter of J. H. and Henrietta Huppeler, natives of Germany. Mr. Huppeler has since died, but his wife is living in Muscoda, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Ladd have one child, Vera, now eight years of age.
Will J. Ladwig is the owner of a large farm in the town of Me- dina and the son of an old resident of Dane county. Martin Lad- wig, his father, was born in Germany in 1819, was educated in Germany and there married to Miss Christina Harman, also a native of Germany, born in 1822. They came to America in 1861 and made their home for a time in Waterloo, Jefferson county, Wisconsin. In 1865, Mr. Ladwig purchased a farm in the town of Medina which became the permanent home of the family. He now, at the age of eighty-seven years, lives with his son August Ladwig, at Lowell, Wisconsin. Mrs. Ladwig died in 1890. Their family of five children are all living. Mr. Ladwig was a Republi- can and interested in politics. He and his wife attended the Methodist Episcopal church. Will J. Ladwig was born July 4. 1857. in Germany and was brought by his parents to the United States when he was a little lad. He attended school in Dane county and assisted his father on the new farm in Medina. He has had many years of experience as a farmer and owns and super- vises a farm of two hundred acres. Particular attention is given to the breeding of registered Poland China hogs, with one of which, Black No. 79099, Mr. Ladwig took first premium at the Beaver Dam fair. Like his father. Mr. Ladwig is a member of the Republican party and takes an active interest in local politics. In 1885, he married Miss Catherine Naupert, who is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Naupert. early settlers of Jefferson county, where their daughter was born. Mr. and Mrs. Ladwig have had three children; the oldest son, Arthur is deceased; Elma and Arnie are the younger ones, who live at home and attend the home schools. The family is associated with the Methodist Episcopal church.
Philip A. Laeser, of Sun Prairie, is one of a family of eight chil- dren, all American born, of Bavarian parentage. His father, John Michael Laeser, and his mother, Anna E. (Fisher) Laeser, as well as his paternal grandparents, Michael Laeser and his wife, and his maternal grandparents, Philip and Anna E. Fisher, were all
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among the early settlers of Dane. The elder Laesers came to Ore- gon and spent the remainder of their lives there, dying at the ad- vanced ages of eighty-six and eighty years. Mr. Fisher and his family came in 1850, and after a year spent in New York came on to Columbia county, and afterward moved to Sun Prairie, where he now resides, his wife having died in that place in 1897. Philip Laeser received the rudiments of his education in the common schools and was graduated from the high school of Sun Prairie in 1892. He kept books for a short time in Madison, but soon entered upon the active life of a farmer. He has over two hundred and forty acres of land which is used for general farming and stock raising. He is a Democrat and a Catholic, as his father was before him, and he is now serving his fourth term as town clerk of Sun Prairie. Mr. Laeser's parents were married in Madison, and set- tled first in the town of Roxbury, where the subject of this sketch was born, February 13, 1874, and where he now resides,-and later came to Sun Prairie township, settling on the farm now owned by their son Philip, and in the latter place, Mr. J. M. Laeser died in 1880 ; his widow, aged sixty-two, lives in Sun: Prairie. Of the eight children, five are living. On September 23. 1902, Philip A. Laeser and Emma M. Mader were married. She is the daughter of Nicholas P. and Gertrude (Niederprim) Mader, and was born at Genoa Junction, October 18, 1884. The father was born in Flea- senhine, Germany, March 26, 1860, and his wife in Kenosha, but at the time of their daughter's marriage they were residents of Sun Prairie, where they still live. The parental grandparents of Mrs. Laeser were of German birth, and came to Kenosha in 1861. There Mr. Theodore Mader died October 2, 1882, and his wife, Margaret (Shackmut) Mader in 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Laeser have one daugh- ter, Arabella Gertrude.
Robert Marion La Follette, three times governor of Wisconsin, and now junior United States senator, is a native of the state, hav- ing been born in a log cabin in the town of Primrose. Dane county, Wisconsin, June 14, 1855, of French Huguenot ancestry. He worked on a farm and attended district school, until he was nine- teen, when he came to Madison. After some preparatory training in a private academy he entered the University of Wisconsin in 1875, and was graduated four years later with the celebrated class of 1879, of which his wife, Belle (Case) La Follette, and President Charles R. Van Hise are other distinguished members. While in the university he took an active part in the work of the literary societies, and was noted for his oratorical and dramatic ability.
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