History of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, Part 62

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Pierce, Eben Douglas
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago Winona : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1318

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Mr. Thomas was married, Feb. 28, 1910, to Nellie Garrett, who was born in Sussex, Wis., Sept. 10, 1885, daughter of Henry and Sarah (Taylor) Garrett. Her father was born at Scott, Sheboygan County, Wis., Nov. 24, 1857, and her mother in Brookfield, Wis., March 22, 1861. The maternal grandmother of Mrs. Thomas, Mrs. Richard Taylor, came to Trempealeau County about 1881 and resided in the county until about 1907. She died in Milwaukee, Wis., in 1915. Henry Garrett for a number of years was engaged in operating a creamery and cheese factory in Sussex, and at one time also conducted a meat market at Pewaukee. He moved to Milwaukee in 1891 and worked there at the carpenter's trade. He is now engaged in farming at South Milwaukee, Wis. He and his wife were the parents of four children, of whom Nellie was the third born. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have a family of four children: Henry Fred, Sarah Ann, Elsie Marie nad Oscar Franklin. In politics Mr. Thomas is a Democrat, but so far has taken no part in local government affairs, having been too busy to give much attention to politics.

PETER THOMAS CULLEN THOMAS AND FAMILY-MRS. PETER THOMAS

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IIISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY

Ole Erickson, proprietor of the Rumpel farm of 223 acres, in section 36, township 23 north, range 8 west, Hale Township, was born in Soler, Nor- way, Oct. 20, 1859. His father, Eric Olson, died in Norway, as did also his mother, whose maiden name was Oleana Thorsonsdatter. In 1884, when in his 25th year, Ole Erickson left his native land for the United States, and on landing in this country proceeded west to Wisconsin, where so many of his countrymen had already settled and were aiding in the development of the great Northwest. Locating in Blair, Trempealeau County, he worked out for others for three years, in the meanwhile saving his money and looking forward to the day when he would be able to start in for him- self. As soon as a good opportunity occurred of which he could take advan- tage he bought a farm in Lincoln Township and was engaged in agricul- tural operations there until March, 1896. He then sold that farm and pur- chased the one he now owns, which is a desirable piece of agricultural property and where he is carrying on general farming and stock raising on a profitable basis. In 1910 he built his present residence, a two-story and basement, brick veneer structure of ten rooms, with furnace heat, run- ning water and gasoline lights. He had erected a barn in 1901, which, however, was blown down in 1914 during a violent storm. In the following year the present barn on its site, a structure 36 by 48 by 12 feet in dimen- sions above concrete basement with cement floors. He has also a good stave silo, 12 by 42 feet in size. Mr. Erickson keeps 25 head of graded Holstein cattle, of which he milks 20; also 50 head of hogs and a large flock of Plymouth Rock chickens. He served as township treasurer two years and has been a director of the school board 15 years. Aside from his immediate farming interests, he is a stockholder in the Pigeon Grain & Stock Company and in the Whitehall Hospital. Oct. 5, 1887, he was mar- ried to Annie M. Engen of Whitehall, Wis., who was born in Norway, Sept. 29, 1863, daughter of Martin and Marthia (Anderson) Engen. Her father now lives on the farm with his daughter and son-in-law, and is a widower, his wife having died in 1893 at the age of 53 years Mr. and Mrs. Erickson have had ten children born to them, of whom two are deceased. The record of the family, given in brief, is as follows: Emma, born Feb. 21, 1889, died Aug. 5, 1890; Hilman, born Jan. 25, 1890, who owns a farm in Pigeon Township; Emma, born March 18, 1891, also at home; Amanda, born Sept. 6, 1894, who is the wife of Ralph Cook, a farmer of Charles City, Iowa, and the mother of one child, Evelyn ; Olga, born March 30, 1897, and Ida, born June 18, 1898, both living at home; Carl, also born June 18, 1898, a twin brother of Ida, who died Sept. 1, 1898; Ole M., born Feb. 19, 1902; Carl, born June 16, 1904, and Marvin Ole, born March 20, 1910, all three of whom, being children, live at home with their parents. Relig- iously the family are affiliated with the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America.

James McDonah came to Trempealeau County as a boy in 1857, and took his part in the pioneer life of two states, Wisconsin and Minnesota. He was born in Holland, Orleans County, Vermont, April 4, 1843, son of Thomas and Eliza (McMahon) McDonah. Thomas McDonah was born in the North of Ireland, came to America as a young man, served in the War

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HISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY

of 1812, and established his home in Vermont on the banks of Lake Cham- plain, where he died in 1850. William McDonah, a son of Thomas and a brother of James, came to Trempealeau County in 1854, and located at Centerville on the present site of Winter's store. There he was joined by James and the widowed mother, who made the trip from Vermont to Dubuque, Iowa, by rail, and from there to Monteville, now Trempealeau, by boat, arriving in Centerville Oct. 27, 1857. James had attended school in Vermont, and had worked during the summer season for $4 a month. In Trempealeau County he attended school in the log schoolhouse in dis- trict 9 for a while, and then started work for William Lee, a farmer on Trempealeau prairie, with whom he worked the first three years for $8 a month. At the age of twenty-one he purchased a horse team and a wagon and engaged for a time in trucking. Then he went to Blue Earth County, Minnesota, and was there married June 4, 1877, to Jennie Adams, daughter of William and Jane Adams of Mankato. The young couple took up their residence in Trempealeau County, where he had previously acquired 80 acres in section 33, and 30 acres in section 3, Trempealeau Township. Blue Earth County, however, still appealed strongly to them, so they sold their Wisconsin holdings, and bought 160 acres in Pleasant Township, in that county. They set at work with a will, erected a home, and broke about 100 acres of land. But the grasshoppers devoured the crops, and then came the blight. Discouraged, Mr. McDonah again came to Trempealeau County and bought 320 acres, four miles from Centerville, on the west side of the Big Tamarac Valley, from Charles Cleveland. Eight years later Mr. McDonah purchased the James Sherman place of 200 acres in Caledonia Township, where he still resides. The place was partly improved, and a small house and a hay shed had been erected. Mr. McDonah set at work with a will, aided by his good wife, and their efforts won for them a well deserved success. The original 200 acres has been increased to 535 acres, the house has been enlarged and improved, a horse and cattle barn has been erected, as well as a hay barn, with other sheds and outbuildings. Here, assisted by his son Elba, who has charge of the place, and by his sons, Arthur and Hugh, he carries on general farming and dairying, keep- ing a good herd of Durham and Hereford cattle, and selling cream to the Galesville creamery, as well as breeding a good drove of Poland-China swine. For 27 years Mr. McDonah was an extensive buyer and shipper of cattle, and in that line he still continues to a certain extent. At the age of seventy-three he is hale and hearty, capable of doing a better day's work than many a much younger man. The home of Mr. and Mrs. McDonah has been blessed with five sons: Perry, Arthur, Elba, Walter and Hugh. Perry was born Aug. 15, 1881, married an attractive young lady, and was in the prime of his career when stricken with black diphtheria at St. Paul, June 27, 1910. He is buried in Evergreen cemetery at Centerville. Arthur was born Oct. 20, 1883, and lives at home. He owns 200 acres of his father's original farm, one-half a mile southwest of the parental home. Elba was born June 8, 1886, and manages his father's farm. Walter was born Nov. 8, 1888, is married, and operates his brother Arthur's farm. Hugh was born Aug. 12, 1894, and lives at home and helps operate the

MR. AND MRS. A. P. TIBBITTS

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HISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY

farm. The two oldest were born in Dodge Township and the three youngest in Caledonia Township. Mrs. McDonah, who for so many years shared the joys and sorrows of her husband's life, is the second child born in Trem- pealeau County. Her parents, William and Jane Adams, came to Trem- pealeau County from Baraboo, Wis., in 1853, with the McGilvray family, and from here moved to Mankato. The good mother of James McDonah, who brought him to this state, died in Centerville, Trempealeau Township in 1875, at the home of her son-in-law, Henry Carter.

Arthur P. Tibbitts, an elderly resident of Galesville, where he is now living retired after a long and active life, which included military service during the Civil War, was born in the state of Maine, Jan. 8, 1840, son of Benjamin and Sarah (Clark) Tibbitts. Both parents were born in the state of Maine, the father being a farmer. They came to Wisconsin in 1846, settling at Hingham, Sheboygan County, where the father died in 1873 and the mother in 1880. They had nine children, of whom three are now living, Arthur P. being the seventh of the family.

Arthur P. Tibbitts attended school in Hingham, Wis., and lived at home until he was 18 years old. He then worked out as a farm hand until he enlisted in Sheboygan County, Oct. 1, 1861, in the First Wisconsin Infantry, Company I, as sergeant. When in the battle of Perrysville, Ky., he was wounded in the throat by a spent shell on Sept. 20, 1863. While engaged in the battle of Chickamauga he was wounded by a solid shot weighing a quarter of a pound, which cut off three ribs from the spine and lodged in the liver. He was taken prisoner that night and laid on the field ten days without medical attention, when he was parolled and taken to the hospital at Chattanooga. There he remained until December, when he was sent north to Murphysboro, Tenn, and two weeks later received a furlough to come home, although he was still a parolled prisoner. He remained home until May 7, 1864, when he was ordered to Camp Chase, Ohio, where he was exchanged, remaining at Camp Chase until about the time of the expiration of his term of enlistment. He took part in the following battles : Perrysville, Stone River, Bailey's Cross Roads, Hoover's Gap, McLaMoor's Cave, Chickamauga, and several minor battles and skirmishes. Then returning home, he engaged in farming, and also for a while worked in a mill at Black River. Going from there to eastern Wisconsin, he resided on a small farm there until 1874, when he came to Galesville, Wis. Here he engaged in business as builder and contractor, and among the various business blocks he erected was the building in which the Bank of Gales- ville is located. Mr. Tibbitts continued in business as contractor until 1915, when he retired and has since been unemployed, enjoying the fruits of his years of industry. He owns 15 acres of very valuable land adjacent to the main street of Galesville and is a stockholder in the Galesville Implement Company. He belongs fraternally to the Good Templars and the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Tibbitts is a Republican in politics. In the past he has taken part in local government, serving as assessor six years, as a member of the board of education 12 years and as mayor of Galesville one term.

March 8, 1866, Mr. Tibbitts was united in marriage with Margaret

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HISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY

Hardie, who was born in Scotland, daughter of James and Margaret (Bibby) Hardie, natives of Glasgow, Scotland, who came to America in 1852 and located in Maryland. Two years later the Hardies came to Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, where they were the first settlers in what is now known as Hardie's Creek, which took its name from them. Here James Hardie cleared and improved a piece of land which he had purchased two years before. He resided there until 1889, a year after his wife's death, when he took up his residence with his daughter Margaret (Mrs. Tibbitts), with whom he remained until his death in 1908. He was a prominent man in the town for many years, serving as a member of the board of education. Mrs. Margaret Tibbitts was educated in the schools of Glasgow, Scotland, and at Galesville University. She and her husband have one child, James Ernest, who is a proofreader in the War Department at Washington, D. C. He married Ella Chase of DeSota, Wis., and has one child, Gordon Chase, who at 17 years of age was graduated from the Mckinley school at Wash- ington, D. C., his adaptability along literary lines being such that he was chosen by the school as editor-in-chief of the school paper, of which he was editor at the time of his graduation.

Henry M. Hanson, who is profitably engaged in operating the Beswick farm of 100 acres in section 17, Preston Township, was born March 6, 1873, son of Martin and Olea (Stutrud) Hanson. The father, whose full name, in accordance with the Norwegian system of family nomenclature, was Martin Hanson Skyrud, was born in Norway, Jan. 10, 1836, and came to America April 27, 1862. He settled on land in section 17, Preston Town- ship, Trempealeau County, Wis., and engaged in agriculture, undergoing all the hardships of pioneer life, but in time developing a good farm. Here he died Sept. 5, 1912. His wife Olea, who was born in Norway, Dec. 30, 1836, died April 4, 1892. They had a family of 13 children: Dorthea, born Nov. 11, 1860, who died July 21, 1862; Henry, born Dec. 5, 1862, who died Dec. 6. 1863; Morris, born April 1, 1864, who is now registrar of deeds of Trempealeau County; Karen Dorthea, born Aug. 30, 1865, who married Albert J. Halvorson, a farmer near Blair, now deceased, and died Dec. 1, 1900; Hannah Berthine, born Feb. 14, 1868, wife of P. T. Herreid, a hardware merchant of Blair; Marie, born Oct. 31, 1869, who died Oct. 31, 1873; Madts, born June 26, 1871, a farmer living near Blair; Marie Olive, born April 2, 1875, who is a trained nurse in Chicago; Clara Thine, born Nov. 1, 1876, who married Joseph Johnson, a railroad employee of Superior, Wis .; Alph Lawrence, born Nov. 21, now proprietor of a general store at Sonora, Minn .; Theodore, born April 5, 1881, now a farmer near Blair, and Tilda Rosiana, born June 23, 1883, who married Joseph Halvorson, a dentist of Galesville, Wis. Henry M. Hanson resided at home and worked for his father on the farm in section 17, Preston Township, until his marriage, Feb. 22, 1903, to Susan E. Beswick, daughter of Chester and Anjenette (Thurston) Beswick. He then took charge of the farm on which he is now living, for his wife's father, and has since operated it successfully. It is well improved and provided with a fine eight-room residence, large barns and other necessary buildings. A sketch of the Beswick family may be found elsewhere in this volume.

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HISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY

Mr. and Mrs. Hanson have an adopted son, Everett Beswick Hanson. One son, Ralph, born Sept. 17, 1906, died same day.

George L. Solberg, one of the leading business men of the village of Blair, where he is proprietor of two stores, was born in Toten, Norway, March 6, 1866. His father was Andrew L. Solberg and his mother in maidenhood Brit J. Hestdahlen. They came to the United States in 1867, Andrew L. Solberg homesteading land in Preston Township in the follow- ing year, and there he resided until his death in 1914 at the age of 79 years. His wife died Dec. 26, 1915, at the age of 82. They were members of the Synod Norwegian Lutheran Church. George L. Solberg was an infant about one year old when he accompanied his parents to this country. He attended the local schools and resided with his parents until he was 22 years of age. In 1888 he began industrial life as clerk in the store of the Blair Trading Association and was thus occupied for seven years. Then in com- pany with O. F. Immel he opened a general store in Blair under the firm name of Immel & Solberg and they conducted the business together from 1895 to 1897, in the latter year Mr. Solberg buying out his partner, since which time it has been conducted under the name of G. L. Solberg. In 1911 Mr. Solberg opened another store in Blair, where he handles clothing and men's furnishings. Both his stores are doing a good business and his trade is gradually growing. He is also vice-president of the Home Bank of Blair, and is a member of the society of Sons of Norway.

Mr. Solberg was married Oct. 17, 1895, to Minnie Johnson, who was born in Arcadia Township, April 4, 1873, daughter of Edward and Marie Johnson. Her parents came to America from Norway about 1870, settling in Arcadia Township, this county, where Mr. Johnson engaged in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Solberg have no children. Some of his brothers and sisters, however, are living, the complete list of his parents' family being as follows : Augusta, wife of L. A. Larson, a farmer of Buffalo County; Inge Maria, now Mrs. Otto. A. Hogen of Fargo, N. D .; Laura, who died unmarried at the age of 23 years; George L .; Olaf, a farmer in Jackson County ; Henry, a farmer on the old homestead in Preston Township; Albert, who was a jeweler in Blair, who died in 1908 at the age of 33 years ; Oscar and Adolph. twins, both of whom died at the age of 11 months; Aletta Ovedia, who died at the age of four years and eight months, and Clara, who is the wife of Hellik Olson, a farmer of Preston Township.

Reinhold Sielaff, a retired farmer of section 6, Pigeon Township, was born in Pomerania, Germany, Jan. 3, 1850, son of Paul and Maria (Tietz) Sielaff. Both parents died in Germany, the father in 1873, at the age of 72 years, and the mother in 1853 at the age of 40. Reinhold Sielaff fol- lowed a seafaring life from the age of 14 to that of 22 years. In 1872 he came to America, locating in New York City, where he worked four years in a piano factory. While there he was married, Aug. 30, 1874, to Wil- helmina Schwolow, who was born in Germany June 6, 1849, daughter of Ernst Schwolow. After leaving New York Mr. Sielaff came to Wisconsin and homesteaded 160 acres in section 6, Pigeon Township, Trempealeau County, which place has been his home ever since. He and his wife have had ten children: Charles, who is now the owner of the homestead;

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HISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY

Johanna, wife of Fred Welke, a farmer of Eau Claire County; Lena, who married C. F. W. Seiler; Ida, who married Carl Knudtson, a farmer of Hale Township; Bertha, wife of Edward Schroeder, also a farmer of Hale Town- ship ; Paul, residing at home ; Fred, who is farming in Hale Township; Clara, living at home; Alvina, wife of Paul Schroeder, a farmer of Hale Town- ship, and Hermina, residing at home. Mr. Sielaff is a member of the German Lutheran Church, of which he has been president and trustee for many years. Mrs. Sielaff died September, 1909.

Paul Olson Strum, one of the older members of the farming community in Preston Township, having a farm of 70 acres in section 16, has been engaged in agriculture here for more than half a century. He was born in Osterdalen, Norway, Jan. 7, 1843, son of Ole Olson Strum by his wife Bertha Paulson. The father was born in Norway in 1808 and came to America in 1852, locating in Porter County, Pa., where he lived for six years. He then came west to Wisconsin, settling in La Crosse County, near Onalaska, which place he made his home for five years. After that he removed with his family to Trempealeau County. His death took place at Blair Feb. 8, 1879. His wife Bertha survived him about 15 years, dying in 1894 at the age of 80. Paul Olson Strum came to this country from Norway in 1854, accompanying his brother and sister. He was in his nineteenth year when he enlisted, in September, 1861, in Company L, Eighth Wisconsin Infantry, with which organization he served three years in the Civil War. On May 22, 1863, he was wounded in the right arm while taking part with Grant's army in the Siege of Vicksburg, and in addition to this experience he took part in other actions near Vicksburg, in the battles of Corinth, Jackson, Miss., Memphis and other places. On his return home after the war, in 1865, he bought his present farm, his parents mak- ing their residence with him, and here he has since remained, having spent the intervening time, half a century or more, in improving his property. The results of his work are apparent in the well tilled acres and neat and substantial buildings, indicating thrift and prosperity, which attract the attention of the passer-by. Having for many years possessed the full con- fidence and esteem of his fellow townsmen, Mr. Strum has at different times been called upon to aid in the administration of the town government, and thus served six years as supervisor and ten years as township treasurer. He was also assessor of the village of Blair two years and a member of the village council one year, in these various offices showing good natural ability and sound judgment. During the present year-1917-Mr. Strum will celebrate his golden wedding anniversary, as he was married July 20, 1867, to Serena Olson Tappen, who was born in Soler, Norway, daughter of Ole Olson Tappen and Elizabeth Embretson. He and his wife have had a large family, numbering 13 children, two of whom are now deceased. Their record in brief is as follows: Olaus, born Aug. 18, 1868, who is a farmer in Preston Township, this county ; Bert C., born Nov. 10, 1870, who died in 1871; Elizabeth, born Sept. 26, 1872, who married Ole Munson of Winona, Minn .; Olaf, born Aug. 27, 1874, who is now living in Duluth, Minn .; Bertha, born April 15, 1876, who died April 30, 1876; Bart, born Feb. 26, 1878, now living in Comstock, Minn .; Amanda, born Feb. 23, 1881,

MR. AND MRS. PAUL O. STRUM

M. M. SCARSETH AND FAMILY

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HISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY

who married Ted Johnson of Coolidge, N. D .; Selma, born March 15, 1883, wife of Ole Rennung of Blair, Wis .; Edwin, born Oct. 27, 1887, who lives on the home farm; Clara, born March 22, 1890, now assistant postmaster at Blair ; Alice, born Feb. 18, 1893, who married Norman Henderson, resides in Henneford, N. D., and has one child, Lillian, born May 19, 1915; Albert, born Dec. 1, 1887, at home; Herman, born Nov. 17, 1895, also living on the home farm. The Strum family are members of the United Norwegian Lutheran Church, of which Mr. Strum has been a trustee for a number of years. Since casting in his lot with this community so many years ago, Mr. Strum has seen many great and beneficial changes in his surroundings. Much or most of the land was then wild and newcomers had to make all their own improvements, breaking the soil with oxen and erecting rude log houses, or rather cabins, in which to live, while their barns and other buildings were of the most primitive description. Such roads as then existed were bad, and at times hardly passable and it was hard to get their crops to market or procure supplies. Many of the early settlers at times went hungry, or subsisted on such game and fish as they might be able to shoot or catch, together with a little cornmeal. Now smiling farms are seen on every hand, with large, substantial barns and handsome residences provided with all modern conveniences, such as the city dweller enjoys. The roads are much improved and more numerous and markets easy of access, except in severe winter weather. Most of the farmers own automo- biles and their children are able to attend high school or even college, if they so desire, so that all the conveniences and luxuries of advanced civili- zation have been brought, so to speak, to the farmer's door. To see all these changes is a privilege that not all of the pioneers enjoyed, Mr. Strum being among the few in this county who have lived to witness them and to participate in their benefits during his declining years.

Marenius M. Scarseth, who up to the time of his death, Aug. 25, 1911, was engaged in operating a farm of 160 acres in sections 21 and 28 E, Gale Township, was born in this township Feb. 5, 1867. His parents were Martinus M. and Kari (Knudson) Scarseth, both natives of Biri, Norway, who were married in Wisconsin. They were early settlers in Gale Town- ship, Mr. Scarseth carrying on a farm on Decorah Prairie. He died July 4, 1910. His wife survived him little over a month, her death taking place Aug. 8, the same year. Marenius M. Scarseth was the second born in a family of four children. In his boyhood he attended the district school at Glasgow, Gale Township, but began industrial life at an early age, begin- ning to work out on farms when 14 years old. He continued to be thus occupied until his marriage, at which time he purchased the farm which was his home until his death. He was an active, industrious man, highly esteemed by his neighbors and his passing away in middle life was widely regretted. In addition to his farm he owned 27 acres of woodland on the river. Sept. 17, 1891, Mr. Scarseth was united in marriage with Clara Evenson, who was born in Biri, Norway, daughter of Bent and Lena (Ekern) Evenson. He and his wife are the parents of three children: Ella, . wife of Elmer Evenson; Alice Lenora and Milton Bernard. Mrs. Scarseth still resides on the homestead. In politics Mr. Scarseth was independent,

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History of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, Part 62

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Pierce, Eben Douglas Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Chicago Winona : H.C. Cooper Number of Pages: 1318

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Pierce, Eben Douglas
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago Winona : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1318