USA > Wisconsin > Trempealeau County > History of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin > Part 74
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Andrew J. Ringlien, proprietor of the Ringlien Farm of 240 acres in sections 5 and 6, Pigeon Township, was born in Sundreland, Norway, April 29, 1857, son of John and Mary (Nilson) Ringlien. He resided in his native land until about 26 years old, and then, in 1883, came to the United States in search of better opportunities for self-advancement than he had there. Locating in Pigeon Township, this county, he obtained employment and also attended school in order chiefly to acquire a knowledge of the English language, in which he made good progress. For three years he worked for P. Ekern, carefully saving his earnings, or as much of them as possible, with the view of achieving industrial independence. This purpose he accom- plished in 1890 when he bought his present farm and began working for himself. Since that time he has made considerable progress and is now one of the prosperous citizens of his township, a fact conspicuously mani-
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fested by the fine brick house he erected in 1914, a two-story building with basement, containing ten rooms and installed with furnace heat and other conveniences. His barn, 30 by 60 by 18 feet, with basement and concrete floors, is also a good and substantial structure, and the other buildings on the farm are well kept and of neat appearance. Mr. Ringlien keeps graded Durham cattle, having a herd of 40 head, of which he milks 20. He is also a stockholder in the elevator and creamery at Whitehall. His religious affiliations are with the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, of which he has been trustee and auditor for ten years. For the past six years he has been a member of the Norwegian school board. Mr. Ringlien was united in marriage, April 4, 1890, with Helen Knutson, daughter of Olaus and Nicolena (Netten) Knutson. She died in September, 1909, leaving eight children : John Olger, Nettie Melvina, Arthur Maurice, Arnold Norman, Axel William, Herman Calbjorn, Menick Cornelius and Erling Conrad, who reside at home with their father.
David Wood, a retired farmer residing in Whitehall, Wis., was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, Feb. 10, 1840, son of Alva and Amanda (Porter) Wood. Alva Wood was born near Utica, N. Y., in 1810, and in 1848 came to Dane County, Wisconsin, where he farmed until 1856. He then purchased government land in sections 21, 25, 26 and 11, Lincoln Township, later going to live with his son David on his farm in section 17, where he died in 1883. His wife Amanda, who was born in Utica, N. Y., died in 1853 at the age of 58. David Wood was the fourth born in a family of ten children. He remained at home until his marriage, March 17, 1863, to Mary Parsons of Whitehall. Her parents were Lincoln and Maria (Sher- wood) Parsons, the former of whom died at Marshall, Wis. In the year of his marriage Mr. Wood began farming in section 17, Lincoln Township, where he remained until 1872. He then removed to another farm in the southeast quarter of section 15, which he operated until March, 1913, at which time he retired and took up his residence in Whitehall. Some time previous to this he had built a warehouse in Whitehall and bought and shipped grain for many years, also baling and shipping hay (1874). Mr. Wood is a director in the John O. Melby & Co. Bank and a stockholder in the General Trading Company of Whitehall. He served as chairman of the township board for 25 years and was on the building committee of the county asylum. While on the county board he had charge of some bridge building in Lincoln Township. In politics he is a Prohibitionist. Mr. and Mrs. Wood are the parents of five children : Archie E., James L., Sarah, Alta and Ralph W. Archie E., born in 1864, is engaged in contracting and build- ing in Whitehall. He married Jessie M. Dissmore and has four living chil- dren: Elmer, Ernest Y., Elsie M. and Chester. James L., born in 1867, is a carpenter living at Whitehall. He married H. Olive Tull. Sarah, born in 1870, died in 1877. Alta, born in 1875, died in 1877. Ralph W., born in 1879, is a farmer on the old homestead in Lincoln Township. He married Martha Johnson and has two children: Harold and Helen.
William J. Webb, who is conducting a successful lumber business in Whitehall, was born in Dane County, Wisconsin, July 7, 1859, son of William and Adelaide J. (Warner) Webb. The father, who was born in
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Vermont in 1808, was a contractor and builder by occupation, and during his residence in Dane County helped to build the state capitol. In 1874 he came to Trempealeau County and settled on a farm two miles north of Whitehall, where he died in 1876. His wife, who was born in 1835, is now living in Whitehall. William J. Webb was educated in the public schools of Black Earth, and in 1889 engaged in the hardware business in Whitehall: He was thus occupied until 1891, in which year he bought the lumber yard of T. H. Earle here and has since been proprietor of the business. He is also a stockholder and director in the concern of John O. Melby & Co., the Bank of Whitehall and a stockholder in the Peoples State Bank of Whitehall. Fraternally he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. June 1, 1886, Mr. Webb was united in marriage with Ella N. Lake, daughter of Thomas and Mary J. (Carpenter) Lake. Her father was a pioneer of Preston Township, where for a number of years he was engaged in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Webb have one child, Archie, who was born May 7, 1888. He was graduated at Brown University in the class of 1907, and subsequently engaged in the bond and investment business with Councilman & Co., of 112 W. Adams street, Chicago. He has been very successful in business.
Paudor K. Risberg, county clerk, educator and prominent citizen, was born north of Christiania, Norway, at Risberget, parish of Vaaler, Feb. 15, 1866, son of Knut and Martha (Anderson) Risberg, both of whom died in Norway in 1893. Paudor K. Risberg was reared in his native parish, and in 1883, as a youth of seventeen, set out by himself to join his brother Carl and his sister Agnetha (now Mrs. John Matson) in Chimney Rock Township, this county. Upon arriving here the courageous and ambitious boy secured employment where he could work for his board while he attended school. His first winter in this country he attended the Chimney Rock district school. Later he alternated work with attending school, laboring as a farm hand, lumberjack, river man and railroader in order to get money to pay his board and tuition. In the winter of 1884-1855 he attended the graded schools of Eau Claire. After a summer's work on the Canadian Pacific Railroad in British Columbia he took a two years' teachers' course at the Wittenberg (Wis.) normal school. In 1892, after teaching school one year, he took a special teachers' course in the Northern Indiana University at Valparaiso. After preparing himself for the profession of teaching he was engaged as principal of the Chimney Rock graded school for nine years. In 1903 Mr. Risberg purchased a farm of 90 acres in section 14, Chimney Rock Township. There he farmed until Jan. 1, 1909, when he assumed the duties of his present position, to which he had been elected the previous fall. He has since then been successively re-elected. In addition to this service, Mr. Risberg has been chairman of Chimney Rock town four years, clerk five years and treasurer one year. For four years he has been clerk of the school board in Whitehall. The United Nor- wegian Lutheran Church has found in him a valued member. Since 1890 he has been superintendent of the Sunday school, and in the same time he has been leader of the church choir. He has also served on various com- mittees and boards. His financial holdings include stock in the Peoples State Bank, of which he was a director for a time. Mr. Risberg was mar-
PAUDOR K. RISBERG AND FAMILY
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ried Sept. 2, 1893, to Agnethe Larson, born in Chimney Rock Town, Feb. 15, 1871. His wife is a daughter of Eric and Olivia (Omestad) Larson, who came to this country in 1866. Mrs. Risberg's mother died in 1906 and her father in 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Risberg have eight children: Arthur, Walter, Alice, Clifford, Ethel, Harvey, Louise and Pearl. Walter, who is his father's deputy, is married to Dora L. Brandon of Whitehall, and Arthur, who is a restaurant keeper in Whitehall, is married to Stella Kloety of Arcadia.
Henry C. Shephard, Jr., a retired farmer now residing with his son, Ray D., on the latter's farm in section 12, Preston Township, was born in Prescott, Canada, near Montreal, Sept. 30, 1835. He is a son of Henry C. Shephard, Sr., who was born in England and was there married to Jane Collins. In 1839 the elder Henry came to America with his family and located in Wisconsin, living, for awhile at Milwaukee and also for some time at Waukesha. Later he removed to Jefferson County, Wisconsin, where he followed the trade of brick mason, and also carried on farming until his death. His wife Jane died June 30, 1911. Henry C. Shephard, Jr., resided at home until 1855. He then came to Black River Falls, Wis., and on August 10, that year, began working in the pineries and on the river. In this work he continued until he had spent 36 winters in the woods and taken part in 21 spring drives. In 1856 he entered the farm on which he now resides with his son and which has been his home many years. This farm formerly contained 400 acres, but has since been divided among Mr. Shephard's sons. Here he cut his first grain with a cradle and threshed it with a flail. It is now finely improved, the land being well tilled and the buildings substantial and adequate. In 1884 Mr. Shephard began breeding Holstein cattle and continued to do so as long as he was farming. He has served in the offices of school clerk and supervisor. Sept. 20, 1861, Mr. Shephard was united in marriage with Phylena Sterling of Jackson County, Wisconsin, who was born in Maine in 1840, daughter of C. I. and Abigail Sterling. He and his wife have had ten children: Lettie, who married William Bright of Trempealeau, Wis .; Nellie, wife of F. D. Hopkins of Whitehall; Guy, who is engaged in farming a part of the old homestead ; Ray, who owns and operates the old homestead ; Frank, who died at the age of 37 years, leaving a widow, Libby Bidgood Shephard, and five children, she being now a resident of Mellen, Wis .; Margaret, wife of Edward Gilbert, president of the State Bank of Foreston, Minn .; Harry and Henry, twins, the former of whom died at the age of four days and the latter at that of two years ; Mabel, who died at the age of 21 years, and Sadie, who married George Bohen, a barber of Dickinson, N. D. Ray married Thina Gilbert, June 26, 1896, and has had two children: Ralph, born Aug. 16, 1904, and a daughter, who died in infancy. Mrs. Henry C. Shephard died June 30, 1912.
Amund G. Tjoflat, a contracting carpenter residing in Ettrick, Wis., where he is conducting a good business, was born in Hardanger, Bergen Stift, Norway, Jan. 30, 1870, son of Guttorm and Herborg (Djonne) Tjoflat. The parents were natives of the same locality, Bergen, a famous old sea- port, being the nearest large city. The father, who was a sailor most of his life, died in his native land in January, 1912, but his wife is still living
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in Norway. Neither of them ever came to America. Amund G. Tjoflat was the second born of eight children. He attended school in Norway, and at the age of 16 years began working as a farm hand. Two years later he commenced an apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade, at which he worked for three years in his native land. In 1891 he set out for the United States and on arriving in this country continued west to Jackson County, Wiscon- sin, locating near the Trempealeau County line. He was at this time unable to speak English, but for five months attended an English school in Ettrick, where he learned the rudiments of the language and later increased his knowledge through association with English speaking people. Soon after arriving here he began working at his trade in Ettrick and continued to do so as a journeyman until 1899, in which year he engaged in contract work, and has been thus occupied up to the present time, his contracts having been for work in Ettrick and the vicinity. In 1906 he built his present residence in Ettrick. Besides owning good property in the village, he is a stockholder in the Ettrick Lumber Company, Ettrick Farmers Telephone Company and the Ettrick & Northern Railroad, and is recognized as one of the enterprising and prosperous business men of the village-a position gained through his own unaided efforts. June 2, 1898, Mr. Tjoflat was united in marriage with Elenora Torkelson, who was born in Jackson County, Wisconsin, daughter of Haldor and Breta (Grinde) Torkelson, the parents being natives of Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Tjoflat are the parents of six children: Gerold B., Berglot H., Oliver E., Esther V., Howard L. and Joseph Kenneth, all of whom are residing at home. Mr. Tjoflat belongs to the order of Beavers, being trustee of his lodge. His political principles are in the main those of the Republican party. He and his family are members of the Lutheran Synod Church.
Amos Jacobsen, for nearly twenty years proprietor of the Coral City Flouring Mills, has been connected with the milling business since early boyhood, as were his father and grandfather before him. He was born in Schleswig, now a part of Germany, Nov. 23, 1849, son of Hans and Dorothy (Hansen) Jacobsen, the former of whom died in 1896 and the latter in 1900. He learned the milling business from his father, and worked for several years in the mills of his native country. In 1870, however, he determined to seek the broader opportunities of America, and accord- ingly came to this country and resumed his occupation as a miller, working first at Dexter, Mich., then in various places in Iowa and Wisconsin, and finally in St. Paul. Then he rented a mill at Lansing, Iowa, next he bought a mill near Desota, Wis., still later he built a mill at Washburn, N. D., and subsequently he rented a mill at Mishamwoka, near Durand, Wis. June 1, 1898, he secured the Coral City mill, in Pigeon Township, this county, built by Silas Wright in 1862, destroyed by flood in 1874 and rebuilt in 1876. This mill he remodelled and improved, and has since continued to operate it. It is a frame building, located on Pigeon Creek, nearly three miles north- east of Whitehall. It is operated by waterpower, and is equipped with five double sets of rolls, and two sets of old French stone buhrs. The capacity is about 50 barrels, and the product includes wheat flour and rye, and all kinds of cereals and feeds, both merchant and custom work being done.
MR. AND MRS. AMUND AMUNDSEN-MR. AND MRS. JOHN EIDE PAUL EIDE AND FAMILY
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Mr. Jacobsen was married at St. Paul Nov. 19, 1877, to Nancy Rapp, who was born in Jefferson County, New York, Aug. 11, 1849, and came to St. Paul with her mother. This union has been blessed with two sons, Fred P. and John A., both born in Lansing, Iowa, and both now employed in their father's mill. Fred P. was born July 26, 1879, was married April 21, 1909, to Edna V. Olson of Blair, born at Blair May 3, 1886, and has six children : Dorothy, Edith, Harold, John, Fred and Elenore. John A. was born Feb. 18, 1881, and was married Jan. 1, 1908, to Augusta Reinhard, born in Ger- many May 12, 1884. Mrs. Nancy (Rapp) Jacobsen died Dec. 28, 1910, and on May 2, 1914, Mr. Jacobsen married, secondly, Mrs. Letacia (Stevens) Wright. She has one daughter, Mary Stevens, now 15 years old.
Paul Eide, a well known and prosperous farmer of Hale Township, was born in Romsdal, Norway, Jan. 1, 1859, son of John and Ellen (Larson) Eide. His parents were both natives of Norway, the father born in 1843 and the mother in 1835. They came to America with their family in 1882, settling in Hale Township, this county, on 160 acres of land in section 5, where they lived 15 years. They then took a farm in section 4, where John Eide died in 1908; his wife died in the spring of 1910. Paul Eide, who accompanied his parents to the United States, settled on his present farm with his parents in 1884 and has since resided on it, having purchased the property in 1890. It contains 300 acres or more and is located in sections 4 and 5, township 23 north, range 8 west, Hale Township. The house, a. two-story frame structure, was rebuilt in 1903. It contains 10 rooms and is a substantial and commodious dwelling. In 1911 Mr. Eide built a barn, 40 by 70 by 16 feet in dimensions above stone basement, with cement floor and steel stanchions. In the same year he put up a stave silo, 12 by 30 feet. His herd of graded Durham cattle numbers 35 head, of which he milks 20. For three years he has served as a member of the school board of his district. Mr. Eide was married in November, 1890, to Millie Amund- son, who was born in section 8, Hale Township, this county, June 27, 1870, daughter of Amund and Thea (Halvorson) Amundson. Mr. and Mrs. Eide have been the parents of nine children: Thea, born April 9, 1891; John, Dec. 25, 1892; Arthur, Aug. 21, 1895 ; Elvina, Jan. 2, 1898 ; Palmer, Aug. 1, 1900; Magnus, Feb. 14, 1903 (died Feb. 23, 1903) ; Mabel, Nov. 23, 1904; Ruth, Aug. 26, 1907, and Millard, July 16, 1910. All the living children are residing at home. The family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, of which Mr. Eide is a trustee.
Peter Nelson, who settled in Pigeon Creek Valley, Pigeon Township, in 1875, and in the course of his 30 years' residence there became one of the leading citizens of the township, was born in Hidemaker, Norway, April 30, 1844, son of Nels Peterson. The father, who was governor and man- ager of a farm, lived and died in Norway. Peter Nelson was the fourth born in a family of eight children. In his native land he attended school and learned the carpenter's trade. On April 3, 1866, he was married to Jom Olson and on the 14th of the same month they left home for the United States, the journey thus being practically a honeymoon trip. After a voyage of six weeks and two days in a sailing vessel, they landed at Quebec, Canada, and from there made their way to La Crosse, Wisconsin, arriving
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June 24. One fall and winter were spent in Louis Valley, and subsequently Mr. Peterson worked nine years at lumbering on Black River, being a part of the time in the camp. His wife had died in 1867 and for his second wife he subsequently married Bertha Johnson. In 1875 Peter Nelson went to Pigeon Creek Valley, Trempealeau County, and bought a partly improved farm of 160 acres. There he lived for 30 years, during which time he bought more land until he had 240 acres, most of which he cleared and improved, erecting good buildings. For 30 years also he served on the township board, and for a number of years was justice of the peace and school clerk. Then selling his farm, he came to Whitehall, where he has since made his home. Here he bought out the Farmers Trading Associa- tion and started an implement company, of which he was the active man- ager until the spring of 1917, when he sold out his shares, and since then has been retired from industrial life. In addition to the above mentioned activities he was president of the first creamery in his locality and was its manager for two years, directing all its operations. At the present time he is a shareholder in the Peoples State Bank of Whitehall, and is a prosperous and highly respected citizen, who has made a success in life through industry and perseverance. He has had ten children, three of whom were carried off by that formerly much dreaded scourge diphtheria. The living are Joseph, Isaac, Oscar, Nels, Alla and Laulia. He and his family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran Church.
Joseph P. Nelson, proprietor of Silver Brook Stock Farm of 160 acres, in section 30, Pigeon Township, is a native of Trempealeau County, having been born in Fitch Coulie, this township, April 10, 1882. His parents were Peter and Bertha (Jensen) Nelson, natives of Norway, now living retired at Whitehall. Mr. Nelson passed his youthful days up to the age of 15 in Fitch Coulie, and was trained to agricultural pursuits on his parents' farm. When he had reached that age the parents with their family moved onto the farm in section 30, and Joseph was associated with his father in its operation until 1908, in which year he purchased it, and it has since remained his property and place of residence. Mr. Nelson keeps graded Durham cattle, milking 16, and also raises Poland-China hogs and Black Minorca chickens. His farm is well improved and is conducted on a profit- able basis. On April 7, 1906, he was married to Ingeborg T. Sogen, daughter of John and Amelia (Rud) Sogen, her parents being farmers residing near Pigeon Falls. He and his wife have five children: Esther, Palmer, Ervin, Harold and Ernest. Mr. Nelson has been a director of the school board since 1915. He and has family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America.
William G. Hyslop, proprietor of the Blair Flour Mills, has been one of the most prominent mill and creamery men in this part of the state. He was born at Osseo, in this county, Feb. 26, 1864, the son of Ebenezer and Anna (Gillespie) Hyslop. Ebenezer Hyslop, a retired carpenter, now living in Osseo, at the age of 88 years, was born in Scotland, came to America in 1850, lived two years in New York City, and four years in Rich- land County, Wisconsin, and in 1859 came to Osseo, this county, where he has since resided, his wife, whom he married in 1850, having died in 1899,
THOMAS HOGAN AND FAMILY
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at the age of 69 years. William G. Hyslop was reared in Osseo, and there received his education. For 25 years he devoted his time to the creamery business, having at one period no less than five establishments under his management. He learned his trade at Osseo; he was manager of the cream- eries at Ettrick and Blair; he built the creamery at Alma Center, and he purchased the creameries at Melrose and Neillsville. In 1901 he bought his present mill, and operated it in connection with his management of the Blair creamery. In 1909 he rented the mill and took up farming at Bowman, N. D. In February, 1916, he again resumed charge of the mill. A prominent man in the community, he has been on the village council for many terms, ten years of which he was its president. He also served one year as a member of the county board of supervisors. His fraternal asso- ciations are with the Masonic order, the Modern Woodmen and the Beavers. Mr. Hyslop was married Oct. 22, 1887, to Ella Quinn, born in Ettrick, April 26, 1864, daughter of James and Susan Quinn, the former of whom died in 1912 at the age of 91, and the latter in 1899 at the age of 69 years. Mr. and Mrs. Hyslop have five children: Clayton, Orton, Leland, Faye and Virda, the three last mentioned residing at home. Clayton and Orton were graduated from the Northwestern Medical School, then performed interne service in Mercy Hospital, Chicago, and are both now practicing physicians, located in that city.
Thomas Hogan, proprietor of the Thomas Hogan & Son Lumber Com- pany at Blair, was born in Kvitised, Telemarken, Norway, March 18, 1854, son of Knudt Tollefson and Gunhild Tvedt, the former of whom died in 1863 and the latter in 1862. The original family name was Hougen. Knudt Tollefson was a lieutenant in the standing army of Norway. The first of the family to come to America was Gunder (brother of Thomas), who reached this country in 1878. He was joined two years later by Thomas, at Humbird, Wis. For a time Thomas Hogan worked in the lumber yard there, then he secured employment in a sawmill four miles southeast of Hatfield. So faithfully did he perform his duties there that after the first year he was placed in charge of the shipping. In 1886, with Simon Lein, he opened a lumber yard at Blair, under the firm name of Hogan & Lein. Owing to ill health, Mr. Lein sold out to Mr. Hogan, and the firm became the Hogan Lumber & Stock Company. From 1898 until Jan. 1, 1917, the business was conducted under Mr. Hogan's name as an individual. Jan. 1, 1917, the firm became Thomas Hogan & Son. Mr. Hogan deals in all kinds of lumber and building material, and has built up a good business, the success of which has been due to his fairness and business integrity. Mr. Hogan enjoys an excellent standing in the community and has served on the village council for eight years. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. He was married Jan. 28, 1885, to Anna Olive Lynnes, who was born in Edsvald, Norway, daughter of Andrew and Johanna Lynnes, the former of whom now lives with the Hogan family. Mr. and Mrs. Hogan have had six children : Louisa, Jennie, Clifford, Agnes, Gena and Arthur. Louisa lives at home. Jennie died at the age of 17 years ; Clifford at the age of 24 years, and Agnes at the age of 15 years. Gena married Tosten Thompson, and they have two children, Truman and Ruth.
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