Jackson County, Minnesota - Biographical sketches, 1910 (part 12 of 13)

Our subject is chairman of the town board, an office he has held for the last three years. He has also served as one of the supervisors and is treasurer of school district No. 48, an office he has held four years. He is a member of the M. W. A. and M. B. A. lodges of Lakefield.

Mr. Schlapkohl was married in Scott county, Iowa, March 2, 1892, to Bertha Strohbcen, daughter of Henry and Margreta Strohbeen. ^frs. Schlapkohl was born in Scott county, Iowa, August 11, 1870. They are the parents of four children: Walter, born December 7, 1892; Ella, born January 22, 1896; Laura, born November 25, 1899; Charlie, born April 30, 1907.

SEIBERT CHRISTOFFERS (1890) is one of the prominent farmers of Ewington township. He was born in Germany June 21. 1851, the son of Julius and Mary Christoffers, both of whom died in their native land. Seibert is

Until he was fourteen years of age Seibert lived on the farm with his parents. Then he worked out until he was twenty-one years of age, at which time he entered the German army, serving an enlistment of three years and six weeks. He came to America in 1881 and located in Will county, Illinois. He worked on a farm there one year, one year Sn Woodford county, and then returned to Will county J where he farmed rented land fourteen vears. Mr. Christoffers came to Jackson county in 1896 and bought the south half of section 10, Ewington township, where he has ever since lived. At the time of purchase the place had only a little shack of a dwelling and a four-horse barn. He has made all the improvements on the farm and has a nice place. He has made a success and is considered one of the township's strongest farmers. He has his farm tiled.

Mr. Christoffers was married in Woodford county, Illinois, January 30, 1883, to Margaret Henreichs, who was born in Germany May 11, 1859, and who came to the United States in 1881. She is the daughter of Henry and ^fargaret Henreichs. Six children have been born to this union, named as follows: John, Margaret, Mary, Henry, Louie and Minnie. Mr. Christoffers is one of the supervisors of his township, having served as such for the past seven years. He was also a director of school district No. 91. He is a director of the Pr^wHter Farmers Elevator company. He and his wife are members of the German Lutheran church.

ISAAC WADSWORTH (1906), proprietor of the Jackson creamery, has been engaged in the butter making business thirty-five years - twenty-eight years in the states of Vermont and New York and seven years in the states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. His parents are William and Catherine (Brooks) Wadsworth, natives of Vermont and New York state, respectively. The father is now living in New York state and is 84 years of age. He is a veteran of the civil war, having served in company K, 02nd New York volunteers. The mother of our subject is 73 years of age. They have been married 56 years.

born December 1, 1853. He was brought up on the farm and was educated in the county of his birth. At the age of twenty he began learning the butter and cheese makers business in his home county and has been engaged in the work ever since. He came west in 1902, and after a few years spent in Michigan and Wisconsin moved to Jackson, in 1906. Upon his arrival he bought the creamery plant of Henry Valgamore. The plant has a capacity of 75,000 pounds of butter fat per year, and it pays out to the farmers of the vicinity between $25,000 and $30,000 per year.

Mr. Wadsworth was married at Oarsonville, Michigan, May 13, 1902, to Miss Ella Tyler, a native of Lexington, Michigan, and a daughter of Philo and Martha (Kemp) Tyler. By a former marriage Mr. Wadsworth is the father of one child, Roy G. Wadsworth, bom Julv 2, 1897. Mr. Wadsworth is a member of the Methodist church and of the Independent Order of Foresters.

JOHN BAUMANN (1888), farmer and dairyman of Heron Lake township, is a native of Switzerland and was born January 16, 1§60. His father, Fred Baumann, was born in 1824 and died February 18, 1901. His mother, Anna Baumann, was bom in 1821 and is still living in her native country. John is next to the youngest of a family of five children bom to these parents.

John Baumann lived with his parents in his native land until he was twenty-four years of age, securing an education and working on his father's farm and serving a three years* enlistment in the army. He came to the United States in 1884 and located in Green county, Wisconsin, where he resided four years. He came to Jackson county in 1888, worked as a laborer two years, and then bought the south half of the northeast quarter of section 24, Heron Lake township - part of his present farm. Tlicre were then only a shanty and old stable on the place, and the fine home Mr. Baumann has today is the result of his labor. He also owns the west half of the northwest quarter of section 19, Belmont, and the north half of the quarter upon which is his house - a 240 acre farm in one body.

Our subject was married in Green county, Wisconsin, August 9, 1886, to Eliza Krahenbuhl, who was bom in Switzerland April 17, 1864, and came to the United States in 1884.

She is the daughter of John and Anna Krahenbuhl. To Mr. and Mrs. Baumann have been bom three children: Fred, bom September 25, 1888; William, bom December 25, 1889; Anna, born March 2, 1897. The family are members of the German Lutheran church.

FRITZ SCHULDT (1888). Among the first of the German farmers to settle in the township of Rost and one of the township's most progressive citizens is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He owns 640 acres of choice, improved land in the township, of which he farms one-half section, while thtf^ rest is farmed by his sons.

Mr. Schuldt was bom in Bergen, Insel Island, Rugen, Germany, February 10, 1850. His father, Bogislaf Schuldt, a tanner by trade, was bom in the year 1800 and died in 1863. His mother, Welhelmina (Westphahl) Schuldt, was bom in 1810 and died in Germany in 1868. Until he was twenty-one years of age Fritz Schuldt lived in his native land. He was brought up in the city of Bergen and was educated there. When he was seventeen years of age he began working at the wagonmaker's trade, which he followed during the rest of the time he lived in the old country and for many years after coming to America.

Our subject arrived in the new world in November, 1871, and went direct to the city of Chicago, immediately after the destruction of the city by the great fire. He remained in Chicago two years, for a time assisting in clearing away the wrecked buildings and later working at his trade. In 1873 he moved to Batavia, Illinois, and that city was his home until he came to Jackson county in 1888. During all of the time of his residence in Batavia ^Ir. Schuldt worked at his trade in the Newton wagon factory.

Giving up the wagonmaker's trade, Mr. Schuldt decided to become a farmer. On March 27, 1888, he arrived in Jackson county and located upon the northeast quarter of section 29, Rost township, which he had bought the year before and upon which he has ever since lived. When he bought his original farm only sixty acres of it had been put under the plow and there was not a building or a tree on the place. He has made all the improvements and has one of the fine farm homes of the township. Since his arrival Mr. Schuldt has added to his real estate holdings until to- day he owns an even section of laud. Although liis entire previous life had been spent in cities, he has made a success of his farming operations and has prospered greatly.

Mr. Schuldt is interested, in many of the cooperative concerns which have wrought good to the farmers of Jackson county, having stock in the Rost creamery, the Rost telephone, the farmers* elevator, store and bank at Lakefield. He and his family are members of the German Lutheran church of Rost township. Mr. Schuldt has taken an active interest in school matters since locating in the county. When his district was organized and before the school house was built he tendered the use of the front room of his home for a school room, and the first two months school of the district was held in his house. When the district was organized in 1889 he was chosen one of the directors and he has ever since held the office.

At Batavia, Illinois, November 29, 1874, occurred the marriage of Mr. Schuldt to Albertina Groener. She was born in Pomern, Germany, August 29, 1856, came to the United States in 1870 and located at Batavia, Illinois. To Mr. and Mrs. Schuldt have been born the following named eleven children, all living: Fred, a physician of St. Paul, bom November 26, 1875; Henry, Rost township farmer, born January 14, 1878; Frank, Rost township farmer, born May 9, 1880; Clara, who resides at home, born March 29, 1882; Walter, a Lutheran minister of Virginia, born January 31, 1885; Reinhold, who resides at home, bom March 24, 1887; Alex, who is a student at C-oncordia college of St. Paul, born July 20, 1889; Frances, bom June 27, 1891; Herbert, born April 1, 1894; Uhle, born April 2, 1896; Marcus, born April 24, 1899.

WILLIAM F. AUTEN (1897), grain buyer for the Rippe Grain and Milling company and manager of the elevator at Jackson, was born at Grand Meadow, Mower county, Minnesota, March 21, 1877. His parents are the late Charles L. Auten and !Mary (Collins) Auten, both natives of New York state. Both his father and mother came to Minnesota in an early day, before their marriage, the former locating in Mower county, the latter in Olmsted county. The elder Auten was engaged in the grain business at Grand Meadow for many years, and in 1885 moved to South Dakota, where the family lived twelve years. They came to Jackson in 1897, and in that village Mr. Auten, Sr., died May 24, 1904, aged 04 years. The mother of our subject lives in Jackson.

William Auten resided with his parents until he was a man grown. He was educated in the schools at Willow Lake and Howard, South Dakota, and at an early age began working at the grain business: in fact, with the exception of three years spent in clerking in general stores at Andover and Willow Lake, South Dakota, he has spent his whole life at the business. He accompanied the family to Jackson county in 1897 and took a position with the Rippe Grain and Milling company, having charge of the elevators at Alpha and Jackson. For the last two years he has devoted his time exclusively to the management of the company's business at Jackson. The Rippe company has elevators in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa and a large flouring mill at Fairmont.

Mr. Auten was married at Jackson September 2, 1904, to Charlotte Halstead Ellsworth, a native of Jackson and a daughter of Williaip and Bertha (Ellingson) Ellsworth. To these parents one child - a son - was bom April 16, 1908. During his residence in Alpha Mr. Auten served one vear as a member of the village council. He is a member of the K. P. and M. W. A. lodges.

HENRY HASSING (1891), who owns the southeast quarter of section 16, Middletown township, is a native Minnesotan, having been born in Faribault county April 12, 1865. Henry is the third of a family of nine living children. His parents were Henry and Rosina (Riser) Hassing, native Germans, who came to America early in life, lived a short time in Wisconsin, and then settled in Faribault county, Minnesota, where they homesteaded and resided until their death.

Henry resided with his parents until he was twenty-three years of age, attending school and working on the farm. After working out a short time after leaving the parental roof, he rented a farm and conducted it until he came to Jackson county in 1891. Arriving in this county, he located upon his present farm, which he had bought the year before. At the time of purchase the land was raw prairie and he has made all the improvements on it.

Mr. Hassing was director of school district No. 92 for nine years, and was road overseer for three years. He is a member of the Catholic church and of the C. O. F. lodge.

At Easton, Minnesota, Mr. Hassing was married January 29, 1894, to Frances Paul, a native of Wisconsin. They have seven living children: Johanna, Angus, John, Lawrence, Ernest, Loretta and Eddie.

ALBERT J. JOHNSON (1883), Belmont township farmer, was born on the farm where he now lives January 30, 1883, the son of John H. and Bertha (Iverson) Johnson. These parents were born in Norway and came to America when young children. They were married in Goodhue county, Minnesota, and in a very early day came to Jackson county and homesteaded in Belmont. They are still living and make their home with their son. He is 64 years of age; she is 60. Eight children were bom to them, as follows: Anna, Joseph, Andrew, Ada, Bertha, Albert, Julia and Clara.

Albert attended the district school and grew to manhood on his father's farm. He worked for his father until he was twenty-two years of age, and then took the management of the place, having since worked it on shares. The farm consists of 160 acres on section 24.

DR. MEREDITH J. JAMES (1908), dentist of Lakefield, is a native of Blue Earth county, Minnesota, where he was bom March 28, 1884. The doctor's parents are John J. and Hannah (Meredith) James, who were born in Wales and came to America in childhood and settled near Utica, New York. The father served in the union army during the war of the rebellion and after the war located in Blue Earth county, Minnesota, where he was married and took a homestead. Both parents now live in Blue Earth county. He is 64 years of age and she is 66 years old. They have ^ve children: John C, Robert G., Bezalee, Meredith J. and William H.

Meredith lived on the farm with his parents until fifteen years of age, attending the country schools. Then he went to Lake Crystal and attended the high school, from which he received his diploma in 1904. Two years later he entered the dental department of the state university and was graduated in June, 1908.

The next month he moved to Lakefield, bought the dental business and apparatus of Dr. C. A. Bell, and has since been engaged in practice. He has an office in the Jackson County State Bank building.

OLE R. OLSON (1880), Christiania township farmer, is a native of that precinct, having been born April 26, 1880, the son of Ryar and Gertie Olson. His parents came from Norway and to Jackson county in an early day and homesteaded land on section 12, Christiania township. They are still residents of the county.

Our subject has spent his entire life in Christiania township. He received a common school education and until he grew up worked for his father. Then he engaged in farm* ing for himself. He farms 200 acres of land, the home place being the northeast quarter of section 22. Besides his farming operations he has conducted a threshing machine for the last fourteen years.

Mr. Olson was married March 12, 1903, to May Hjony, of Des Moines township. Mr. Olson is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and of the Sons of Norway lodge.

JOHN TORDSEN (1892), farmer of Hunter township, is a son of Peter Tordsen, of Rost township, and Christina (Hendricks) Tordsen, who died in Iowa January 26, 1888.

John was born in Ida county, Iowa, April 3, 1884, and accompanied his father to Jackson county in 1892. He was brought up on his father's Rost township farm and was educated in the district schools. He resided at home until 1907. Then he went to McLean county, North Dakota, resided there one year, and then returned to Jackson county. He was married in 1908, and since that time has been engaged in farming the northwest quarter of section 18, Hunter township, which is owned by his father.

Mr. Tordsen was married in Jackson November 25, 1908, to Marie I^mp, who was born in Germany January 13, 1888, and who came to the United States in 1902.

(Leich) Luft, both deceased. The "first two and one -half years of his life were passed in his native county, the next two years in Crawford county, Iowa, and then the family located permanently in Sac county, Iowa. In that county Conrad* grew to manhood, receiving a common school education. He came to Jackson county in December, 1894, lived here five years, and then took up his residence at Superior, Iowa. Three years later he came back to the county and has since resided here. He is engaged in farming on section 6, Petersburg township. He is a member of the German Lutheran church.

Mr. Luft was married December 15, 1898, to Miss Anna Mueller. Two children have been born to them: Charles, born December 11, 1899; Henry, born July 28, 1901.

family n\oved to Jackson county, and upon his father's Wisconsin township farm Alfred worked until he reached his majority. After becoming of age lie took the management of the home farm, the west half of the southeast quarter of section 33, which he still farma in addition to his own property, the east half of the southeast qimrter of section 4, Petersburg township. Mr. Ambrose owns stock in the Farmers* Cooperative Elevator company, of Alpha. He is a member of the M. W. A. and Z. C. B. J. lodges of Jackson.

On September 24, 1901, Mr. Ambrose was married to Miss Josie Skalsky. To these parents have been born the following named children: Bennie, bom December 7, 1902; Albert, bom October, 1904; Agnes, born November 7, 1906; baby, born January 16, 1908.

GEORGE CHRISTIANSEN (1885) is a Heron Lake township farmer, owning the north half of the northeast quarter of section 12. He has lived in Nobles and Jackson counties all his life, having been born in the former January 7, 1878, the son of John and Mollie (Halverson) Christiansen.

George was educated in the district schools and brought up on the farm. His father died in Nobles county when he was a child and in 1885 he accompanied bis mother to Jackson county, where he has ever since lived. He lived on the farm with his mother in Belmont township seven years and later made his home with her on the farm on section 22, Heron Lake, fn 1908 he located upon his own farm, which he had bought three years before, and has since been engaged in farming the place.

The parents of Mr Christiansen were born in Norway and came from the old country to Nobles county. Mrs. Christiansen lives on her Heron Lake township farm.

ALFRED AMBROSE (1884), a Wisconsin township farmer and stock raiser, is a native of Austria and was bom September 5, 1874. lliH father, Paul Ambrose, died April 5, 1900, his mother is still living and resides with her son.

Alfred came to the United States with his parents when only two years of age and until the spring of 1884 resided at Earlham, Madison county, Iowa. On April 9, 1884, the

JOHN H. ALLERS (1906) is one of the progressive young farmers of Sioux Valley township. He is a native of Benton county, Iowa, and was bom May 4, 1886. When he was five years of age his parents moved just across the line into Tama county and on his father's farm in that county he grew to manhood.

John continued to make his home with his parents and to work for his father until 1906. That year he married and moved to Jackson county, taking possession of his father's farm, the northeast quarter of section 34, Sioux Valley township, where he has since resided. He has up-to-date ideas in regard to farming and he is carrying them out in the management of the place.

Mr. AUers is one of a family of three children, the others being Vena and Minnie. His father was born in Scott county, Iowa, November 13, 1860, and was married at Daven-* port January 5, 1882, to Minnie Anderson, who was born in Mecklenberg, Germany, February 17, 1865. The parents of our subject are now residents of Tama county, Iowa.

John Allers was married in Benton county, Iowa, December 19, 1906, to Emma Ehmestein. She was born in Germany October 28, 1886, and is a daughter of Fred and Louisa Ehmestein, who live in Benton county, Iowa. One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Allers, Agnes Clara, born September 15, 1908. Mr. Allers is a member of the German Lutheran church and of the German ia lodge.

PETER C. JACOBSEN (1896), of Jackson, is a native of Denmark and was born April 7, 1861. He is the youngest of a family of nine children, of whom four are living. His father, Jacob Matsen, a butcher by trade, died in his native land in 1879, aged 54 years. His mother, Anna C. (Sorensen) Matsen, died in 1885, aged 64 years.

Peter made his home with his parents only until seven years of age; then he started out in life for himself. He secured a good education, completing it with a year's course in a high school. After his school days he worked as a farm hand until eighteen years old. Then he started a meat market in the city of Copenhagen, which he conducted until 1891. He left his native land July 9, 1891, and arrived at Winnebago City, Minnesota, July 24, of the same year. Near that town Mr. Jacob - sen worked on a farm three years; then he rented a farm and conducted it two years. He arrived in Jackson county in 1896 and for two or three years worked as a farm laborer and at odd jobs. He then married and located in Jackson, and for the next four years worked in George Sawyer's coal yards. The next four years were spent as an employe of the Standard Oil company. Since then he has been engaged in farming on a small scale. He owns seventeen acres of fine land on Thomas hill in the east part of Jackson, which he intends to plat as an addition. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen and Danish Brotherhood lodges, and he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church.

Mr. Jacobsen was married in Copenhagen, Denmark, February 8, 1883, to Hannah Peterson, a native of Sweden. She died April 4, 1886, aged 23 years. Two children, both of whom died in infancy, were born to these parents. The second marriage of Mr. Jacobsen occurred at Jackson November 3, 1899, when he wedded Mrs. Christ Larsen, who was formerly Miss Caroline Mortensen, a native of Denmark. By her former marriage Mrs. Jacobsen is the mother of one child, Carrie Larsen. To Mr. and Mrs. Jacobsen have been born three children: Myrtle, born September 14, 1902; Pearl and Ruth.

CARL 0. YOUNGREX (1897), of Alpha, is a native of Martin county, Minnesota, where he was born May 1, 1888, the son of Swen and Carrie (Nelson) Youngren. Carl lived in

Martin county with his parents until nine years of age and then accompanied them to Jackson county, in the spring of 1897. With the exception of one year spent in Groton, South Dakota, this has been his home ever since. Mr. Youngren is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church.

SAJVIUEL W. SHEARER (1894) is one of the large landowners and successful farmers of Wisconsin township. He ownp the east half of section 5, the southwest quarter of section 4 and the north half of the northwest quarter of section 3. He has an elegant home built on the first described property. Samuel W. is the eldest of a family of ^ve living children. The other members of the family are Joseph P., John L., Uriah S. and Emma (Mrs. J. W. Null), of Hlinois. Another sister, Mary E. Hildebrand, died September 19, 1894.

The subject of this sketch was born in Franklin county, Ohio, May 24, 1851, the son of J. J. and Catherine (Lehman) Shearer. Until he was of age he resided with his parents and assisted with the farm work, the family having moved to Livingston county, Illinois, in 1868. In that county, upon reaching his majority, he rented one of his father's farms and conducted it until 1877. That year he was married, and he and his brother, J. P. Shearer, bought the farm, conducted it as partners several years, and later our subject secured entire control. He conducted the farm alone until 1894. In 1892 he came to Jack%on county and bought the half section upon which his home is now, and two years later moved onto the place. He has prospered, and has since added the other property to his holdings. During his residence in Wisconsin township Mr. Shearer has held the offices of supervisor, chairman of the town board and assessor. He is now clerk of school district No. 1. He is member of the Mennonite church.

Mr. vShearer was married at Chatsworth, Illinois, dn the first day of the year 1877, to Lizzie Grahill, a native of Grundv countv, IIlinois. To these parents have been born ten children, of whom the following nine are living: Byron A., HaiTy M., Grace M., Charles E., Ollie J., Fred S., Russell, Mary E. and J. Wesley.

Iowa, October 3, 1883, the eldest of a family of four children bom to George and Martha (Mickel Wright) Steward, the other children be* ing Charles, Howard and Fannie.

Both his parents died when Leroy was a child and he was brought up in the family of an uncle, with whom he lived until seventeen years of age. He was educated in the Donahoe public schools and after leaving the home of his. uncle worked on a farm until he was of age. He then started working at the barber's trade, learning the business in shops in Donahoe, Iowa, and Denneh, Iowa. After mastering the trade Mr. Steward worked in shops in Kansas City, Missouri, Luveme, Minnesota, and other places. He located in Lakefield in August, 1908, buying the George Albert Armstrong shop, in the Jackson County State Bank building. He conducts a two chair shop. Mr. Steward is a member of the I. O. O. F., the K. P. and M. W. A. lodges.

FATHER RUDOLPH MATOUSEK (1898), until recently pastor of St. Wenceslaus Catholic church of Jackson, was bom in Lomnitz, Moravia, April 12, 1865, the son of Louie and Antonia (Kapoun) Matousek. He received his early education in Lomnitz, but at the age of eleven years he went to Brunn, the capital city of Moravia, and for eight years was a student there, two years of the time studying theology. At the age of twenty -one he left his native country, and for two years was a student at a theological school at Louvain, Belgium.

In 1888 Father Matousek came to America and for nearly nine years had charge of a church at Rock Creek, near St. Louis, Missouri. In 1897 he returned to Europe for a visit with his father, but returned the next year, and on May 5, 1898, took up his duties in Jackson, where he ministered until the fall of 1909.

OLOF ARNTSON (1881) owns 280 acres of land on sections 4 and 10, Belmont township, all of which he and his sons farm. His parents are the late Arnt Swenson and Grade Swenson, who came from Norway in 1899 and made their home with our subject. The father died September 15, 1908, aged 81 years; the mother still lives and is 77 years of age.

Olof is the eldest of a family of three children and w^as born in Norway September 19, 1853. There he grew to manhood, working on his father's farm with the exception of seven years spent in the army. He came to America in 1881, locating in Jackson, where he worked on the railroad three years. The next two years were spent in farming on section 6, Enterprise township. He then bought the southeast quarter of section 4, Belmont township, from Paul Hanson, who had homesteaded it in 1864, and has ever since made his home there, buying his other property later. He has been treasurer of school district No. 89 for the past five years and has been road overseer of his district. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

Mr. Arnt son was married in Norway January 22, 1876, to Mary Olena, who was born October 6, 1853. They are the parents of six children: Gust, Gracie (Mrs. Ole Aas), Oscar, Albert, Julian and Bennie.

CHARLES HASBARGEN (1888) is one of the prosperous farmers of Wisconsin township. He owns the northeast quarter of section 33, a few miles southeast of Jackson.

Mr. Hasbargen was bom in Germany April 3, 1870, the son of Ralph A. and Weeke (Gmnhoff) Hasbargen. At the age of thirteen years he came to the United States, lived four years in Iroquois county, Illinois, and one year in LaSalle county. He received a high school education and while in LaSalle county attended a college. He came to Jackson county in April, 1888, and has since been engaged in farming in Wisconsin township.

Our subject has stock in the Alpha Creamery association and in the Alpha Horse company. He has taken an active part in the management of the creamery and for the past nine years has been secretary of the association, and before that served two years as a director. He was a member of the township board ten years^ was a school director eighteen years and has been secretary of the German Lutheran church of Jackson for eighteen years.

Mr. Hasbargen was married to Theresa Buck January 22, 1893. As a result of this imion have been born the following named children: \Mllie, born March 4, 1894; Alma H., bom January 3, 1896; Rudolph D., bom November 11, 1897; Lena M., born April 14, 1900, died September 28, 1901; Albert D., bora June 19,

JOHN R. FORMAN (1903), a school teacher in district number 7, is a resident of Jack* son. He was born in Kankakee, Illinois, January 15, 1878, the son of Charles M. and Sarah (Michael) Forman, natives of New York and Illinois, respectively. The family moved to Nebraska in grasshopper days, resided there four years, and then returned to Illinois, where they resided until 1902. That year they moved to Jackson, where they now reside.

The subject of this biography resided with his parents in Kankakee, Illinois, until twenty* one years of age. He then located in Marshall, Minnesota, and four months later enlisted in the 45th United States regiment of infantry and was sent to the Philippine islands. His army service covered a period of twenty-one months, eighteen of which were in foreign service. He received his discharge at San Francisco in June, 1901. He returned to his old home in Illinois after his discharge, but in 1903 located in Jackson. For a few years he engaged in farming and teaching school, and three years ago entered the ^ail service as carrier out of Jackson, which he followed until September 1, 1909, when he resigned to again take up school teaching. He is a member of the Methodist church and of the M. W. A. lodge.

Mr. Forman was married in Jackson May 18, 1904, to Miss Cardelia M. Odbert, a native of Jackson and a daughter of Edward and Clara Odbert. To Mr. and Mrs* Forman has been born one child, Edith, born March 12, 1905.

ALFRED H. COOK (1901), buyer for the Benson Grain company of Heron Lake, although a resident of Jackson county only a few y^ars, was bom in the neighboring county of Nobles and all his life has lived onlv a short distance from Jackson county. He is the son of Edward V. and Eliza (Gage) Cook, who now live at Fulda.

Edward Cook is a native of New York state. He enlisted in that state and served three years in the union array during the war of the rebellion. After the war he moved to Iowa, where he was married. Locating in Nobles county in an early day, he homesteaded in

To these parents were bom nine children, of whom eight are living. Alfred is the fourth in age of this family and was bom on the Seward township farm December 29, 1877. When an infant he was taken with his parents to Fulda and in that town grew to manhood and was educated. He was in the grain business in Fulda two years and taught school in Murray county two years. He was in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, during the year 1891. Mr. Cook moved to Heron Lake in, July, 1901, and since that date has been employed as grain buyer for the Benson Grain company. This company was incorporated in 1901 and is one of the big financial institutions of the county, owning and operating twenty elevators in Minnesota and Nebraska.

Mr. Cook was married at Fulda January 1, 1901, to Martha E. Suthers, a native of Wisconsin. One child, Clifford H., has blessed this union, having been bom April 10, 1902. Mr. Cook is a member of the M. W. A. lodge.

ALECK F. ELNESS (1877) was bom inChristiania township June 4, 1877, and has resided there all his life. He owns the east half of the northeast quarter of section 20. He is the son of Elling N. Elness, who now lives in Oregon, and Ellen Elness, who died in 1900 at the age of 55 years. His parents came frOm Norway and located in Jackson county in 1870, homesteading land in Christiania towiiship.

Aleck received his education in the district schools of his native township, and after growing up engaged in farming. He owns stock in the Windom Telephone company and in the company that owns the Bergen store. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Belmont.

Mr. Elness was married May 2, 1900, to Gea Engan, and to this marriage have been bom four children: Emmet, born February 26, 1901; Ouvin, born April 27, 1903; Allen, born May 25, 1906; Myriel, born May 9, 1907.

EDWARD J. LEWIS (1904). Among the several really meritorious enterprises of which the county seat boasts is the Jackson nursery. Edward J. Lewis, who has made that business his life's study, is the proprietor. Although his business is yet in its infancy, its success is assured. He produces all kinds of fruit and shade trees and many varieties of berries He employs several agents, who sell his goods throughout southwestern Minnesota, northern Iowa and North Dakota.

Mr. Lewis was bom in Howard county, Iowa, August 8, 1883, being the only son of William and Emma (Moore) Lewis. His father died when our subject was two years of age; his mother lives in Cresco, Iowa. Edward lived in Howard county, Iowa, until he reached his majority. He attended the public schools until he was thirteen years of age; then he began working in a nursery, which has ever since been his occupation. He moved to Jackson in the spring of 1904, bought a ten acre tract of ground on Thomas hill, made improvements and started his nursery, which has since occupied his attention.

At Cresco, Iowa, June 22, 1903, Mr. Lewis was united in marriage to Miss Alice Bents, a native of the village in which she was married. To this union have been bom two children, Virginia and Venita. Mr. Lewis is a member of the Modern Brotherhood of America.

REINHOLD STUERMER (1890) is a Belmont township farmer, owning the southwest quarter of section 33 of that township and the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 4, Des Moines township. He is a son of the late Fred and Johanna (Hartwig) Stuermer, natives of Germany. After their marriage in the old country the parents of our subject came to America and located at Manistee, Michigan. They resided there until 1890, when they came to Jackson county and engaged in farming in Belmont township. Fred Stuermer died in 1901 at the age of (J3 years; his wife died in April, 1909, aged 73 years. Four children survive them. They are Augusta (Mrs. Carl Pohlman), Tillie (Mrs. Julius Gentz), Lena (Mrs. Fred Bretzman) and Rein-' hold.

To these parents in Manistee, Michigan, June 12, 1876, Reinhold Stuermer was bora. He began his education there and at the age of fourteen years, in 1890, accompanied his parents to Jackson county. He has ever since made his home on the Belmont farm. He worked for his father until the latter's death and then fell heir to the farm, which he has since conducted.

Mr. Stuermer was married In Jackson county July 24, 1904, to Clara Krumweide, who was born in Iroquois county, Hlinois, March 16, 1886, and who is the daughter of Henry Krumweide, now living in Iroquois county, Hlinoii. Two children have been born to this union, namely: Lydia, bom July 7, 1907; Esther, born August 27, 1908.

CHRIS L. HEMMING (1907), proprietor of a saloon at Heron Lake, is a native of Denmark and was born July 18, 1879, the son of Robert and Caroline (Brown) Hemming. He accompanied his parents to the United States in 1882 and located in Minnesota. The family resided one year in Glencoe, two years in St. Paul, and in Kenyon, Minnesota, from 1886 to 1894, Cliris receiving a public school education in the last named town.

In 1894 Mr. Hemming, then a boy of fifteen years, set out in life for himself. He was employed on a work train on the Soo line out of Minneapolis two years and in 1896 went to Pennington, Wisconsin, where he spent the next winter. After spending a short time in South Park, St. Paul, and in Oelwein, Iowa, he went to work for Swift A Company, in St. Paul, and was employed by that company one year. The next year he tended bar in St. Paul, and in 1899 went to Escanaba, Michigan, where for a year and a half he was a fireman on the Northwestern railroad. Returning to St. Paul in 1901, Mr. Hemming took a position as fireman on the Great Western and on June 1, 1902, was made an engineer. He moved from St. Paul to Plum City, Wisconsin, in 1905 and was engaged in the saloon business there two years, still owning the property. He arrived in Heron Lake in the spring of 1907 and has since been engaged in the saloon business in that village. He owns 110 acres of land in Dunn county, Wisconsin.

Mr. Hemming was married in St. Panl in June, 1900, to Miss Mayme Bergeon, and to them have been bom two children: Marie V., bom at Escanaba, Michigan, March 12, 1901; Ruth L, bom in Heron Lake March 15, 1907. llie family are members of the Oatholie church.

BERT KEPHART (1890) is a Christiania township farmer living a short distance north of Bergen. He is a native of Dubuque county, Iowa, and was bom April 24, 1868,

The parents of our subject are Milton and Margaret (Mettler) Kephart, now of Lakefield. The grandparents of our subject came from Pennsylvania to Iowa in a very early day and Milton Kephart was bom in that state in the forties. There are eleven children in the family, namely: Ellmore, a carpenter of Spirit Lake^ Iowa; Bert, of this sketch; Elenor (Mrs. James Darcy), of Lakefield; Rose (Mrs. Henry Hardman), of Spirit Lake; Lizzie (Mrs. Charles Yoder), of Spirit Lake; Ernest, of Canada; Tillie, of Lakefield; Maggie, a school teacher; Milton, of Lakefield; Elbe, farmer and well digger of Dakota; Sarah, who resides at home.

The first four years of the life of Bert Kephart were spent in Dubuque county, Iowa» and the next eleven years in Clayton county of the same state. In 1880 he moved to Dickinson county, Iowa, and in the spring of 1890 he came to Jackson county to reside. He engaged in the well digging business, which he has followed for eighteen years. He has been engaged in farming the last six years. He is a member of the M. W. A. lodge.

Mr. Kephart was married May 8, 1887, to Lucy Will ford, of Spirit Lake. To them have been born the following named three children: Guy, born February 5, 1888; Ollie, born July 18, 1890; Helen, born June 17, 1899.

ISIAH L. SMALLEY (1901) resides in Heron Lake township, just west of Lakefield, where he owns and farms 286 acres of land. He is one of the township's successful farmers and has not had a crop failure since he located in the county. He is a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, and was bom August 21, 1849. His father, Nathaniel Smalley, was bom in Ohio in 1812 and died March 13, 1902. His mother, Rachael (Smith) Smalley, was a native of Pennsylvania.

His mother having died when he was a baby, our subject made his home with his father until he was twenty-five years of age. At the age of six years he went to Putnam county, niinois, and three years later to La- Salle county, where he grew to manhood. He worked for his father until twenty-five years of age; then he began farming for himself, buying land adjoining his father's farm. He sold out his interests in Hlinois, and in the fall of 1882 located in Osceola county, Iowa, where he and his father bought 580 acres of land. They farmed this land in partnership five years and then divided the estate. Mr. Smalley continued his farming operations in that county until 1901. In the ye^r last named he became a resident of Jackson county, locating in Lakefield, where he bought property and resided three years. In 1004 he bought his present farm and has since been engaged in its cultivation.

Mr. Smalley was married in Osceola county, Iowa, in 1883, to Emma J. Woolstrom. She died in 1888, after having borne him one child, Clarence E., born May 11, 1887. Mr. Smalley s second marriage occurred in Osceola; county in May, 1889, when he wedded Minnie E. Cantonwine, who was born in Benton county, Iowa, January 19, 1873. To them have been bom the following named children: Oliver C, born Febmary 6, 1891; Zoella E., bora January 7, 1893; Darrel M., bom March 30, 1898; Fleda M., bom July 11, 1904; Uanda I., bora April, 1909.

JOSEPH EDEL (1889), a retired farmer Hying in Belmont township, was born in Bohemia in 1841. He resided with his parents in the old country until twelve years of age, and then began working out as a farm hand, later engaging in the livery business. He came to America in 1876 and located at Cleveland, Ohio, where for many years he worked in factories. He , came to Jackson county in 1889 and bought the northwest quarter of section 23, Belmont township, where he has ever since resided. In recent years Mr. Edel turned over the management of his farm to his sons and now lives a retired life.

Mr Edel was married at Cleveland, Ohio, to Catherine Peterlek, a native of Bohemia. Seven children were born to this union, of whom the following five are living: Joseph, Thomas, Edwin, Alba and Kosa. Two children, name^ James and Alba, are dead. The two daughters are married: Alba to Joseph Hayek, of Mountain Lake, Minnesota; Rosa to Burriel Hruby, of Thief River Falls, Minnesota. The family are Catholics.

FRANK SKALSKY (1898) owns and farms the northeast quarter of section 3, Petersburg township. His parents were Joseph and Nora (Skalsky) Skalsky and he was bom in Bohemia August 4, 1853.

Our subject had but few advantages in an educational way. At the age of fifteen years he started working as a glass blower and he followed that occupation fifteen years. At the age of thirty he emigrated to the United States and for the next fifteen years engaged in farming near Earlham, Iowa. He moved to Jackson county in August, 1898, bought his farm in Petersburg township, and that has since been his home. He owns stock in the Farmers' Cooperative Elevator company of Alpha.

Mr. Skalsky was married in April, 1883, to Julia Frost. To these parents have been bom the following named children: Joseph, bom June 16, 1884; Frank, born August 28, 1889; Tony, born September 5, 1890.

JENS JENSEN (1904) is the proprietor of a Jackson blacksmith shop. He is a native of Denmark and was born October 7, 1881. He is the eldest of a family of four children, all but himself living in the old country. His father, Nels Jensen, died ten years ago; his mother, Hannah (Erickson) Jensen, lives in Denmark.

Jens lived with his parents in Denmark until 1904. There he received his education and there he learned the blacksmith's trade. He came to America in 1904, worked a short time in Canada and a short time in Chicago, and the same year arrived in Jackson county. He worked in the manufacturing plant of Ludvigsen Brothers, Jackson, until October, 1908. Then he bought the W. T. Muir blacksmith shop and has since been in business for him* self. He does general blacksmithing, horseshoeing, repairing and boiler work.*

HENTIY PAULSON, Kimball township farmer, has spent his entire life in Jackson county. He was bom in Kimball township, the son of John and Betsy Paulson. These parents were bom in Norway, came to the United States in 1867, and homesteaded on section 30, Kimball township, in 1871. Mr. Paulson still lives on the homestead; his wife died in 1895. There are three sons in the family, Fred, Henry and John.

Mr. Paulson was married November 7, 1901, in Kimball township, to Ida Berge, a native of Jackson county and a daughter of Ole Berge, deceased. To them have been bom four children, as follows: Oscar, Mamie, Bertha, Perry.

JOHN TUSA (1884) is a farmer of Wisconsin township residing just south of the village of Alpha. He was born in the city of Chicago August 31, 1876, the son of John and Maria (Frantna) Tusa. He came to Jackson with his parents in July, 1884, and resided at home until 1892, when he was sixteen years of age. He then started out in life for himself, working the first six years for W. W. Tuttle. He then engaged in farming one year, and in 1899 bought a well digging outfit, and was engaged in the well drilling occupation for seven years. In 1906 he began farming again.

Mr. Tusa was married February 22, 1906, to Josie Ambrose, to whom have been born two children, as follows: Alfred, bom July 14, 1907; Mary, born September 18, 1908. The family are members of the Catholic church of Jaickson and he belongs to the Modem Woodmen lodge.

CHARLES GEISSEL (1905) is one of the successful farmers and stock raisers of Middletown township. He owns and farms the north half of section 28. In addition to his general farming he makes a specialty of breeding Shropshire sheep and Duroc-Jersey hogs. Another specialty is the raising of pop corn, which he finds to be a very profitable crop. Each year he raises about eighty acres of that cereal.

Mr. (jreissel was born in Benton county, Iowa, November 22, 1866, the eldest of a family of two sons born to Fred and Catherine (<2uitzow) Geissel. At the age of nine years he moved with the family to Sac county, Iowa, where he spent the greater part of his life. He was educated in the public schools of Sac county and in the state agricultural college at Ames, where he was a student four years. Until he reached hjs majority Mr. Geissel resided with his parents. Then he took the management of the Cook ranch in Sac county, one of the largest individual farms in the state of Iowa and comprising an area of twelve sections. That his management was satisfactory is attested by the fact that he remained in charge eighteen years. He came to Jackson county in 1905 and located upon his present farm, which he had bought in 1900.

Since coming to Jackson county Mr. Geissel has interested himself in several enterprises. He was largely instrumental in the organization of the Middletown Farmers Telephone company and is secretary of the company. Largely through his interest in the matter the county ditch, intending to drain 15,000 acres of land is being constructed, bonds to the amount of $68,000 having been sold for the purpose. He is a director of school district No. 60 and is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges.

Mr. Geissel was married in Sac county, Iowa, January 15, 1888, to Emma Griesse, a native of Benton county, Iowa. Five children have been born to this union^ named as follows: Catherine, Elenora, Minnie, Elmer and Herbert.

PETER KLEIN (1903) is a farmer and stockraiser of Christiania township. He was born in the city of Brooklyn, New York, July 27, 1860, the son of Peter and Isabella (Heald) Klein. The former was a truck gardener by trade and emigrated to the United States from France in the forties, having ever since that time made his home in Brooklyn.

Peter grew to manhood in one of the suburbs of Brooklyn. He was educated in the public schools and in Winsburg business college, and after growing up engaged in the truck gardening business. He made his home in his native city for nearly forty years, and then in 1899 came west and located in Grundy county, Iowa. Four years later, in March, 1903, he came to Jackson county and has since been engaged in farming on section 21, Christiania township. Mr. Klein engages extensively in stock raising and makes a specialty of red polled cattle, which he has been raising for the last three years. The head of his herd received three first premiums at the Minnesota state fair.

The subject of this biography was married March 31, 1881, to Mary Kumarde, and to this union have been bom the following named children: Peter H., born August 13, 1882; Charles, bom June 1, 1884; Lizzie, bom February 1,

1886; John, born February 17, 1888; Christ, born May 26, 1890; Joseph, born January 22, 1892; Minnie, born February 10, 1894. Mr. Klein served three years as deputy sheriff. He is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge.

FRANK H. BROWN (1896), of Jackson, was born in Brown county, Wisconsin, December 21, 1873, the son of W. N. and Mepa (Hay. den) Brown, natives of Maine and New Hampshire, respectively.

Until he was thirteen years of age Frank lived with his parents on the farm in Brown county, Wisconsin, and then he accompanied them to Dickinson county, near Spirit Lake, Iowa. He lived with his parents on the farm until he was twenty years of age. Then he married and engaged in farming on rented land for himself three years. He came to Jackson county in 1896 and during the next five years engaged in farming in Middletown township. Giving up farming in 1901, he moved to Jackson and for several years was engaged in various occupations. In 1907 he engaged in the livery business in Jackson in partnership with Scott Huestis, having bought out Robert Henderson, and conducted the barn until the spring of ^909.

Mr. Brown was married in Jackson county March 22, 1893, to Edith Gruhlke, a native of Waseca, Minnesota, and a daughter of Edward Gruhlke, deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been born the following children: Harry L., Vera M., Iva G. and Earl. Mr. Brown is a member of the I. O. 0. F. lodge.

AUGUST LARSON (1902), a farmer of Delafield township, was born in Sundsvall, Sweden, October 12, 1877, the son of Lars Erick Erickson and Ingeborg (Nelson) Erickson. His father still lives in Sweden; his mother died in Sweden in 1893.

August lived in his native land until 1902. He received a public school education and was raised on the farm. After becoming old enough to work he spent the summer months working on the farm for his father and the winter months working in the woods. He arrived in Windom, Minnesota, direct from Sweden on May 31, 1902, and since that time has been a resident of Jackson county. For three years he worked for his brother Oscar on the farm south of Wilder. Then he rented Mrs.

Peter J. Johnson's farm in Delafield, farmed it three years, and in the spring of 1908 rented his present farm, the southwest quarter of section 26^ Delafield. He owns a 160 acre farm in Saskatchewan, Canada, which he bought in

1904. Mr. Larson has been ill much of the time in recent years - to such an extent that he was unable to work at times. A serious operation was performed in the winter of 1908-09.

1905, to Emma Johnson, who was bom in Delafield township March 20, 1874. She is the daughter of Peter J. and Majlen Johnson. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Larson, namely: Agnes Alida, born October 2, 1905; Malvin Theofild, born September 11^ 1908.

WILLIAM ALLEN (1908) is an Enterprise township farmer who farms the northeast quarter of section 14. He was bom at Morris, Hlinois, March 17, 1867, the son of Dewitt and Dorothy (Talbott) Allen, On his father's side Mr. Allen descends from an old New York state family. His mother came from England when a small girl. Sh^ died September 19, 1880.

When William was two years old the family moved to the city of Joliet, and that was the home of our subject for twenty-six years. There he received a common school education and after growing up worked at various occupations. For six years he worked in a wire mill as a wire drawer, and during the last nine years of liis residence there was a street car motorman. In 1905 he moved to Martin county, Minnesota, and for three years reside<) in the adjoining county. He moved to Jackson county February 12, 1908, and has since been engaged in farming in Enterprise township. He is a member of the M. W. A. lodge No. 6383 at Alpha.

OTTO VAGT (1902), of Middletown township, is one of the county's successful farmers and big stock feeders and shippers. He owns all of section 9 and with his sons farms it alL He feeds hogs and cattle extensively and each year ships three car loads.

Mr. Vagt was born in Germany June 25, 1854, the youngest of a family of eleven children, of whom the following four are living: Mary (Mrs. Herman Lippold), of Memphis, Tennessee; Louisa (Mrs. Hartwig Buene), of Germany; Dora (Mrs. Christ Carlson) « of Germany, and Otto. The parents of our subject were Nicholas and Anna (Hinak) Vagt.

Otto lived in Germany imtil nineteen years of age, attending school and working on his father's farm. He came to the United States in 1873 and located at Davenport Iowa. He worked in a butcher shop in the city one year and on a. farm nearby two years; then he rented land in the vicinity and engaged in farming eight or nine years. His next location was Pipestone county, Minnesota, where he bought a half section farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits until he came to Jackson* county in 1902. He bought his 640 acre farm of C. H. Puckett.

Mr. Vagt was married at Reinbeck, Grundy county, Iowa, November 3, 1883, to Mary Brix, also a native of Germany. They have nine children, named as follows: John, bom August 16, 1884; August, born October 19, 1885; Herman, born January 26, 1887; Hugo, bom June 8, 1888; Emma, born January 2, 1890; Anna, born August 20, 1893; Louisa, bom September 11, 1894; Frank, bom October 23, 1897; George, bom January 21, 1901.

LARS HELVIG (1904), Christiania township farmer, was born in Norway October 10, 1863, the son of John and Mary (Larson) Helvig. Both parents are living and will soon celebrate their golden wedding; the father is 72 years of age, the mother 73.

Lars' father followed the sea in the early days, and when our subject was fifteen years of age he became a sailor, at which he was employed five years. At the age of twenty he came to America and located in Story county, Iowa, where he engaged in farming twenty years. In the spring of 1904 he moved to Jackson county and began farming the south- west quarter of section 4, Christiania, and that has since been his home. In addition to his general farming Mr. Helvig raises blooded stock and has a fine herd of Chester White hogs.

Mr. Helvig was married September 22, 1892, to Carrie Sampson. As a result of this union there have been born the following named children: Oscar C, born July 28, 1893; May, born October 30, 1895; Louis, born July 19, 1898; AUie, born February 3, 1903; Arthur, born February 6, 1906; Ruth, born February 2, 1909. The family are members of the Lutheran church.

THOMAS J. CONNER (1906), of Jackson, is a native of Clayton county, Iowa, where he was born April 30, 1858, the son of Thomas and Marie (Taylor) Conner. In 1864, when six years of age, he moved with the family to Delaware county, Iowa, where he lived the next sixteen years of his life. He was educated in the town of Manchester and was graduated from the high school of that town in 1877.

In 1879 Mr. Conner started learning the barber trade in Manchester and two years later moved to Osage, Iowa, where he conducted a sliop eight years. He then disposed of his business and in 1889 moved to Lyle, Minnesota, where for six years he conducted a saloon. The next four years were spent in Austin. He spent six months of the year 1899 in Deadwood, South Dakota, and again took up his abode in Austin. A short time later he moved to Sheldon, Iowa, and in that town and in Sanborn he lived three years. He lived in St. James one year, and on the first day of July, 1905, moved to Jackson and engaged in the saloon business.

Mr. Conner was married July 8, 1881, to Miss Margaret Coonfair and to them have been born the following children: Verda, born September 10, 1886; Ruthford, bom September 10, 1890. died at the age of seventeen months; Vera, bom December 30, 1904.

OLE M. NORDBERG (1891) farms a half section of land in Belmont township and lives on section 24. He was born in Norway November 20, 1865, the eldest of a family of three children born to Sefanias and Bertha (Otteson) Nordberg. The other children of the family are Anna Nelson, who lives in Norway, and Nels T. Nordberg, of Minneapolis.

Our subject was thrown on his own resources when eight or nine years of age. At the age of eighteen he began working at the blacksmith trade and followed that trade during the remainder of his residence in the old country. In 1891, at the age of twenty-six, he came to America and to the village of Jackson. There he established a blacksmith shop, which he conducted thirteen years. During the next four years he conducted a shop in Christiania township, and then, in 1908, because of failing health, he sold out and engaged in farming, renting a half section in Belmont for a period of five years.

Mr. Nordberg was married in Norway January 31, 1890, to Mary Nelson, daughter of the late Nels Bordson. To them have been bom two children, John C. and Bennie M. The family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

HENRY STRUCK (1897) is one of the successful and prosperous farmers of Kimball township. He is a native of Germany and was born December 28, 1870, the son of Christ and Katie Struck. His parents emigrated to America in 1894 and lived in Martin county, Minnesota, until their death. The father died December 24, 1908, aged 79 years; the mother died June 19, 1902, aged 66 years. There were four children in the family, Henry being the third in point of age.

In his native country Henry Struck lived with his parents until twenty-two years of age, working at various occupations and serving two years in the German army during the early nineties. He came to the United States in 1892 and for five years lived in Mar* tin county, during part of which time he farmed rented land. He rented a farm in Enterprise township, Jackson county, in 1897, and farmed it four years. He then moved onto his present place, the southwest quarter of section 25, Kimball, which he bought at the time and where he has ever since lived. There was not a building, fence or tree on the place when Mr. Struck bought the farm, and the present fine improvements are all the result of his work. He now lives in a fine home, erected at a cost of $3,000, and the bams and other buildings are in keeping with the house.

Switzerland February 11, 1870. She is the daughter of Hans and Magdalena Russenberger, who came to the United States in 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Struck have no children. During the winter of 1908-09 they made a trip to France, Germany, Switzerland and England. They are members of the German Lutheran church of Kimball township.

PETER JACOBSEN (1893) owns a half section of Belmont township land on sections 12 and 13. He is a native of Denmark and was bom November 22, 1863, the son of Christ and Inger (Hansen) Jacobsen. Peter received his early training in his native land, working out by the year on farms until he was seventeen years of age. He came to the United States in 1880, and for twelve years resided in the city of Chicago. Eight years of this time he was employed in a brick yard; during the rest of the time he was the proprietor of a grocery store.

Mr. Jacobsen sold out his business interests in Chicago and came to Jackson county in 1893. Upon his arrival he bought the southwest quarter of section 12, Belmont township, and began farming, which has been his occupation ever since. He made all the improvements on his farm, and has added to his real estate holdings by the purchase of the northwest quarter of section 13. In addition to farming this land he rents a forty acre tract. Mr. Jacobsen is a director of school district No. 39. He belongs to the Norwegian Lutheran church and to the Danish Brotherhood lodge.

On the sixth day of June, 1885, in the city of Chicago, Mr. Jacobsen was married to Mary Peterson, a native of Denmark. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobsen have been blessed with offspring, having thirteen cliildren, all living. They are Inger, Mamie, John, Augusta, Jennie, Tillie, Christ, Peter, Mabel, Myrtle, Walter, Mary and Arthur.

HERMAN SHUDAHL (1902), a farmer of Christiania township, was born in Winneshiek county, Iowa, February 12, 1882, the son of Hans and Rachel (Lunbo) Shudahl. His father was a stone mason and marble cutter and was bom in Iowa. He died in 1884. Our subject's mother was bom in Norway and came to America in the seventies.

and made his home with his parents in his native county until he was fifteen years of age. He spent two years in Houston county, Minnesota, two years in Fillmore county, and in March, 1902, came to Jackson county. He farmed six years on section 27, Christiania township, and in 1908 moved to his present location on section 22.

Mr. Shudahl was nuirried December 24, 1903, to Miss Nellie Olson, a daughter of Ryar and Gertie Olson, of Christiania township. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Shudahl, namely: Horace R., born March 12, 1905; Gordon, born September 23, 1906; Harry, bom February 18, 1908. The family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

WILLIAM E. CARR (1891), proprietor of the West hotel of Jackson, was bom in Lewis county. New York, April 2, 1855, the son of Thomas and Clistie (Walker) Carr.

When he was young William CJarr moved from his New York state home to LaSalle county, Illinois, where he lived with an uncle and where he was engaged in tiling until 1881. That year he moved to Greene county, Iowa, and for the next ten years was engaged in the dray business. He moved to Jackson in 1891 and for two years ran a dray line in that village. Selling out, he moved onto a farm in Wisconsin township, and conducted it four years. He then located in the new village of Alpha, engaged in the dray business there five years and in the hotel business three years. He again took up his residence in Jackson in May, 1907, rented the West hotel, and has since been its landlord.

Mr. Carr was married in Jackson January 29, 1893, to Mrs. Cliloe S. Vanduzee, who was born in Vernon county, Wisconsin, January 9, 1870. To them have been bom two children, Nellie and Ralph. By a former marriage Mr. Carr has one daughter, Flossie, now Mrs. J. J. Klochok.

While residing in Wisconsin township Mr. Carr was a member of the school board of district No. 104, and while living in Alpha served two terms as a member of the village council. He is a membr of the M. W. A. and M. B. A. lodges.

linois, and was born Janaary 21, 1874, the son of John and Louis (Trubach) Tramm. Until he was fifteen years of age he lived on the home farm with his folks in Illinois, and then went to Lake county, Indiana, where he worked on the farm of Mr. Joe Hayden for one year. In the year 1893 he worked in Will county i^s a carpenter for Mr. E. Koch. After that he worked at different places in Lake county, Indiana, and Will county, Illinois, for six years.

On the 14th day of November, 1899, he was united in marriage to Minnie Berg, of Lowell, Indiana. Four children have been bom to this union, as follows: Jennie G., born February 28, 1901; Elnora, bom May 7, 1903; Lizzie B., born September 16, 1905, died June 9, 1907; Minnie M., bora September 30, 1907.

At the age of twenty-five years Mr. Tramm moved onto his old homestead and farmed it for a term of six years. On the first day of March, 1906, Mr. Tramm arrived in Jackson county, and since that time he has been engaged in farming in Petersburg township.

CONRAD HUSSONG (1900) is one of the prosperous and successful farmers of Alba township. He owns 240 acres of choice farming land and rents an additional eighty. His place is well improved with fine buildings and other improvements and he is putting in a complete system of tiling on the farm.

Mr. Hussong is of Grerman birth and was born August 25, 1870. He came to America with whis father when nine years of age, lived seven years in Tazewell county, Illinois, and then located in Iroquois county of the same state, where he resided until coming to Jackson county in 1900. He received his primary education in his native country and after coming to America completed his schooling in the English schools. Until he was twentyone years of age Mr. Hussong resided with his father. Then he married and engaged in farming on his own account. Upon his arrival to Jackson county Mr. Hussong bought the southeast quarter of section 23, Alba, then bare of improvements, and engaged in farming. In 1907 he added to the dimensions of his farm by bujring the west half of the southwest quarter of section 24, known as the Freer homestead.

The parents of our subject were Louis and Louisa (Golzer) Hussong, of whom the latter died in Germany in 1879. Mr. Hussong later married Margaret Weber and they came to the United States and settled in Hlinois. Mr. Hussong died there in 1900, aged 58 years.

Conrad Hussong was married in Iroquois county, niinois, February 17, 1892, to Martha J. Krowas, who was bora in LaSalle county, Illinois, December 24, 1873, the daughter of Carl Krowas. To Mr. and Mrs. Hussong have been bom the following children: Charles L., born March 4, 1894; Edward C, bora January 10, 1897; Louis H., bora October 18, 1901; Raymond W., born May 16, 1904; Minnie A., born April 7, 1907; Hilda M., born February 24, 1909. ,

Mr. and Mrs. Hussong are members of the German Lutheran church and he belongs to the M. W. A. lodge. For six years he served as a member of the school board of district No. 85, and for two years was road overseer.

JOSEPH J. CHALUPNIK (1904) is a Hunter township farmer who owns the southeast quarter of section 26. He is a native of Marshall county, Iowa, and was born October 15, 1868. His parents, Anton and Antonla (Salesek) Chalupnik, were born in Austria, came to America in the early sixties and settled in Marshall county, Iowa, where they were married. They moved to Tama county, Iowa, in 1873, bought land there and now reside in Traer, Tama county. Joseph is the oldest of a family of eight children born to these parents.

Joseph accompanied the family to Tama county, Iowa, when five years of age, and spent the greater part of his life there. Until he was twenty-two years old he lived with his parents; then he rented land and engaged in farming on his own account. Mr. Chalupnik came to Jackson county in January, 1904, and located upon his present farm, which he had purchased in 1902.

In Tama county, Iowa, October 16, 1893, Mr. Clialupnik was married to Anna Uridel, who was bora in Tama county, Iowa, November 27, 1876. To these parents have been bora the following named children: Adolph, bora August 21, 1894; Olga, born December 31, 1895; Lottie, bora August 19, 1897; Elsie, born Feb-

FERDINAND ESSER (1907), proprietor of a saloon at Heron Lake, was born in Springfield, near the city of Madison, Wisconsin, September 10, 1875, the son of John and Agnes (Fischenich) Esser. He received a common school education and resided in the village of his nativity until past twenty-one years of age.

Mr. Esser left home in the spring of 1897 and located at Adrian, Nobles county. He tended bar for his brother for ten months and then bought a butcher shop, which he conducted until 1905. He was retired from active pursuits for a couple of years, and then, in March, 1907, moved to Heron Lake and engaged in the saloon business. Mr. Esser owns an eighty acre tract of land in Summit Lake township, Nobles county. He is a member of the Catholic church and of the Catholic Order of Foresters.

At Adrian on October 22, 1901, Mr. Esser was married to Miss Christine Ulrich. To these parents have been bom four children: Margaret, born September 9, 1902; Gertmde, born September 5, 1904; John, bom April 21, 1900; Louisa, bom March 8, 1908. Mrs. Esser died March 29, 1909, aged 28 years and 11 days.

OSRO C. MARCY (1905) owns 320 acres of land on sections 13 and 12, Christiania township, and is one of the successful farmers of that precinct. He is a native of Mitchell county, Iowa, and was born June 17, 1850, the son of James and Mary (Bert) Marcy. Both parents were bom in New York state and his father was a cabinet maker by trade. Both parents are dead. William Marcy, an uncle of our subject's father, was a former governor of New York state.

In 1871 Osro Marcy moved from his native county to Northwood, Worth county, of the same state, and there he grew to manhood. In 1882 he moved to De Smet, Kingsbury county, South Dakota, but returned to Iowa in 1894. He located in Cottonwood county, Minnesota, in 1896 and engaged in farming there until March, 1905, when he bought his present farm and became a resident of Jackeon county. He makes a specialty of raising

Shropshire sheep. Mr. Marcy owns stock in the Farmers State Bank of Windom and in the Farmers Elevator company of the same village. He is a member of the M. W. A. and A. O. U. W. lodges.

March 30, 1887, Mr. Marcy was married to Lura Gebler, of Chicago. They are the parents of the following named children: Ralph, born December 17, 1887; Raymond, born January 23, 1889; Bert G., bom December 26, 1891; Vernon H., born January 15, 1894; Donald B., bom December 14, 1896; Theodore McKinley, born May 24, 1902.

MAURICE MADDEN (1903) is a Middletown township farmer residing a few miles southwest of Jackson. He is a native of Springfield, Sangamon county, Illinois, and was born October 16, 1855, the son of John and Margaret (Fitzgerald) Madden.

Maurice spent the greater part of his life in his native county. Until he was nineteen years of age he lived on the farm with his parents; then he spent seven years working out as a farm hand. Locating in the city of Springfield, he was employed one year as a street car driver and in a roller mill. He then engaged in farming for himself, renting his father's farm two years and another farm in the same county thirteen years. He spent the next four years farming in Nebraska, and in 1903 came to Jackson county. He has since farmed the northwest quarter of section 3, Middletown township.

Mr. Madden was married in Buffalo, Illinois, October 18, 1888, to Johanna Vennemann, a native of Springfield. To this union have been born the following named ten children: John L., Catherine M., Florence W., Francis X, Petranilla R., Frederick T., Alfonso E., Theresa M., Ena E. and Cycil C.

NICK W. WEIS (1909), proprietor of a blacksmith and machine shop at Lakefield, was bom in Luxemberg, Germany, September 7, 1873, the son of Philip and Mary (Schmidt) Weis, who still live in Germany.

In Germany Mr. Weis was educated and learned the machinist's trade, living with his parents until he emigrated to America in 1895. Upon his arrival to the new world he located at Omaha, Nebraska, where he worked three years and two months. He then located at

Petersburg, Nebraska, where he opened a machine shop of his own, which he conducted four years. Selling out there, he moved to Ladysmith, Wisconsin, where he bought a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits three years, working in a saw mill part of the time. The next two years of his life were spent in Ladysmith in charge of the electric lighting plant. We next find our subject at Rose Creek, Minnesota, where he conducted a machine shop until he located in Lakefield in February, 1909. He bought the James Rost machine shop and has since conducted it. Besides his business property in Lakefield, Mr. Weis owns a farm in the state of Wisconsin.

At Underwood, Iowa, December 12, 1900, Mr. Weis was united in marriage to Rebecca M. Church, a native of Missouri Valley, Iowa. Three children, named Rosa, Charles and Florence, have been born to this union. The family are members of the Catholic church and Mr. Weis belongs to the Odd Fellows and Workmen lodges.

EDWIN STREATOR (1896) is a farmer and land owner of Weimer township. He was bom in Winnebago county, Illinois, July 20, 1840, the son of Price S. and Jemima (Sweet) Streator. His parents were both natives of Bradford county, Pennsylvania, his father being descended from a well known family who came from France in colonial times. His parents were married in Pennsylvania and located in Illinois in 1835, his father dying in Winnebago county, of that state, in 1848. Mrs. Streator later located in Fillmore county, Minnesota, where she died in 1880, aged over seventy years. There were seven children in the family, of whom the following named are living: L. L. Streator, of Fillmore county; Mrs. A. M. Kingsbury, of Mason City, Iowa; Mrs. H. M. Graham, of Woonsocket, South Dakota, and Edwin S., of this sketch.

Edwin came to Fillmore county, Minnesota, with his mother in 1854, he being then fourteen years of age, and there he lived until 1872. That year he came west and took a homestead claim on section 34, Springfield township, Cottonwood county, where he resided until 1890. He then located on his present farm on section 4, Weimer township, and has since made his home there. He owns 240 acres of land. During

The marriage of our subject occurred in Fillmore county January 9, 1869, when he wedded Celia E. Eddy, a native of Ohio. To these parents have been bom two children: Orley E., of Bowman county. North Dakota, bom October 15, 1871; Clara E., born November 21, 1873.

JOHN H. GURITZ (1902) is a Middletown township farmer. He was born in Washington township. Will county, Illinois, June 20, 1876, and spent his early years in his native county. His parents, Will and Mary (Schaffer) Guritz, were bom in Germany but came to America in an early day. The former worked in a mill in Chicago for a number of years and engaged in farming in Will county, to which place he moved in the early seventies. He died there in 1905, aged 72 years. Our subject's mother now lives in Beecher, Hlinois.

John Guritz attended the district schools of Will county and with the exception of one year spent in Iowa, he resided there, working on his father's farm, until 1902. That year he married and came to Jackson county. He rented the farm upon which he has ever since lived - the southwest quarter of section 25 - and has made his home there since. He bought the property in the year 1908. Mr. Guritz has held the office of treasurer of school district No. 23 for the last seven years.

At Northfield, Illinois, on Febmary 2, 1902, Mr. Guritz was united in marriage to Martha Tate, a native of the city in which she was married and a daughter of Will and Sophia (Holste) Tate. One child has been bora to this union, Harvey, born January 26, 1903.

0. M. TEIG (1906), farmer of Christiania township, was born in Story county, Iowa, October 1, 1886, the son of Ole K. and Nellie (Raymond) Teig. The former emigrated from Norway in 1881, after having spent his younger days as a sailor, and located in Story county, Iowa, where he lived until he came to Jackson county in 1906.

0. M. Teig secured a common school education and grew to manhood in his native county. He accompanied his parents to Jackson county in the spring of 1906 and resided with them on section 15, Christiania, until 1908. In the last named year he engaged in farming on his own account, having rented the northwest quarter of section 22, on the bank of Lower's lake. Mr. Teig is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

JAMES C. JOHNSON (1897), of Jackson, was bom in Olborug, Denmark, March 4, 1864, the son of Christ and Marie (Jensen) Johnson. He received a common school education in his native country and lived there until he was nineteen years of age.

Mr. Johnson came to America in 1883 and located at Spencer, Iowa, where he lived fourteen years, being employed at various kinds of labor. He moved to Lakefield in 1897 and for two years was employed as a grain buyer. He then moved to Jackson and that village has been his home ever since.

The marriage of our subject occurred at Spirit Lake, Iowa, October 30, 1890, when he wedded Miss Minnie Scharf. Seven children have been born to this union as follows: Leonard E., Grover G., Frances E., Ruby R., Leiand C, Lyla M. and Lyle J. The family are members of the Lutheran church.

MATTHIAS BAUMAN (1903) is a farmer afid landowner of Ewington township, owning the west half of the west half of section 13. He was born in Baden, Germany, January 9, 1847, son of Leonard and Barbara (Bauman) Bauman. The former died in Champaign county, Hlinois, in 1889, aged 64 years; the latter died in Germany in 1869.

The subject of this biography lived in Germany until he was past twenty-one years of age. He was raised on a farm and educated in the village school, making his home with his parents during his boyhood days. He came to America, arriving in New York June 7, 1868, and located in Marhsall county, Illinois. There he worked as a farm hand ten months and then returned to his old country home. Returning to America again in March, 1869, Mr. Bauman took up his home in Champaign county, Illinois, where he bought a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits eight years.

The next home of our subject was Iroquois county, Illinois, which was his home the next twenty-seven years. He owned an eighty acre farm there but farmed a half section. In the year 1902 Mr. Bauman sold out in Illinois and bought his farm in Ewington township, and on February 27, 1903, moved to his new home. He is a member of the Evangelical church of Ewington township. He served as a director of school district No. 92 for two years and has held the office of road overseer.

Mr. Bauman has been married twice. His first naarriage occurred in Marshall county, Illinois, January 23, 1872, when he wedded Mary (jk>etz, who was bom in d^anada and who died in Iroquois county May 6, 1890. Eight children were bom to this luiion, as follows: Caroline (deceased), Rosa (deceased), Charles ^deceased), John, a Ewington township farmer; Ben, Edward, school teacher of Ewington; Annie, school teacher of Alba township; Aggie (Mrs. Herman Meinhard), of Illinois.

The second marriage of Mr. Bauman occurred in Iroquois county in August, 1893, when he wedded Maggie Haefner, a native of Marshall county, Illinois. To this union have been bom the following named five children: Leonard. Lloyd, Wilbert, Leona and Grace, all living at home.

Mr. Bauman's eldest daughter, Caroline, who became the wife of Albert Lenz, was murdered in cold blood in Iroquois county, Hlinois, in November, 1897, by a man named Hartman, who later paid the penalty of his crime by hanging at Pazton, Hlinois.

M. P. MONTEE (1909) is engaged in farming in the northern part of Christiania township, his home being on the bank of Fish lake. He is a native of Ellisburg, New York, and was bom July 6, 1854. He is of French descent, his ancestors having come from France and established a French colony on what is now Montee's bay, where they received a land grant. His father, Abraham Montee, was bom in New York and died in South Dakota, being 77 years old at the time of his death. His mother, Trulove (Bennett) Montee, was born in Vermont and died in South Dakota at the age of 68 years. The father of our subject, his grandfather and a brother were veterans of the civil war, his father and brother having enlisted in an Iowa regiment. The former served from 1861 to the fall of 1864; the latter received injuries while acting as a scout and was discharged.

Our subject resided in his native town one year, in Wisconsin four years, in New Boston, Hlinois, four years, in Ionia, Iowa, six years and in Adell, Iowa, eleven years. He went to South Dakota in 1880 and took a government homestead. He came to Jackson county in March, 1909. He is a member of the Methodist church of Windom and of the Yeomen lodge.

FRANK STOFFERAHN (1907), Sioux Valley township farmer, is a comparative new comer to Jackson county. He was born in Carroll county, Iowa, March 23, 1875, the son of John and Minnie (Stade) Stofferahn. His parents are native Germans, but came to America in childhood and were married in Clayton county, Iowa. They resided in that county, in Carroll and Ida counties, Iowa, and are now residents of Garrison, North Dakota. Frank is one of a family of ten children.

Our subject resided in his native county only seven years; then he accompanied his parents to Ida county, Iowa, where he grew to manhood, making his home with his parents until twenty-one years of age and receiving a district school education. After reaching his majority he began working out and at the age of twenty-three married and engaged in farming for himself on rented land. One year after his marriage Mr. Stofferahn moved to Dickinson county, Iowa. He engaged in farming there eight years and in 1907 took up his residence in Jackson county, renting the east half, of section 20, Sioux Valley township. During the season 1909 he raised 3,000 bushels of corn and 1,600 bushels of small grain.

Mr. Stofferahn was married at Holstein, Ida county, Iowa, February 19, 1898, to Dora Bauer. She was born in Blue Grass, Scott county, Iowa, April 29, 1877, and is the daughter of William and Lena (Stark) Bauer. Three children have been bom to Mr. and Mrs Stofferahn, as follows: Ferdinand, born June 17, 1900; Henrietta, bom Novenber 13, 1902; Louie, born November 7, 1904.

Mr. Stofferahn is a director of school district No. 72 and is a stockholder in the creamery company of Sioux Valley. The family are members of the German Lutheran church and he belongs to the M. W. A. lodge of Lake Park and the Germania Vcrein, a social organization of Sioux Valley township. This organization was perfected June 28, 1908, with thirty charter members and it now has a membership of 110. Meetings are held on the second Sundays of each month at Reimera* hall during the winter months and in groves in the vicinity during the summer.

MARTIN QUALL (1907) is a farmer and landowner of Des Moines township, residing upon the old Simon Olson farm a few miles up the river from Jackson. He is a native of Union county. South Dakota, where he was born October 3, 1880. He is the son of Ole and Mary (Ofstad) Quail, who were born in Norway and came to America before their marriage. They resided in Michigan several years, and then located in South Dakota, where they still reside. Martin is one of a family of eight children, all living. They are Annie, Mary, Ella, Elias, Knute, Martin, Peter and Ole.

Martin received his education in South Dakota and resided with his parents until he came to Jackson county in 1907. At that time he bought the Simon Olson farm on section 3, Des Moines township, famous as the location of part of the old townsite of Belmont, founded in 1858. Mr. Quail is not married, but makes his home with a family employed by him on the farm. He is a meftiber of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

FRED H. MEYER (1903), Petersburg township farmer, was born in Martin county, Minnesota, March 23, 1878, the son of John and Johanna (Voges) Meyer, both deceased. Fred received a common school education and spent his early days on his father's farm. In 1897 he moved to Fairmont and for a year was employed in the erection of windmills.

Mr. Meyer enlisted in the army in 1898 during the Spanish- American war and was in the service seven months, being stationed at Chickamauga, Georgia. In addition to this service he has served three years in the state militia. After his discharge from the army Mr. Meyer engaged in farming in Martin count V until 1903, when he located in Petersburg township, Jackson county. He farms land on section 6. He is a member of the German Lutheran church and of the M. W. A. lodge.

On September 27, 1899, Mr. Meyer was married to Minnie Ziemer. To them have been born the following children: Eddy, born August 16, 1901; Ellsworth, born July 12, 1004; Clarence, born March 10, 1900; Rozella, born July 1, 1902, died December 12, 1907.

FRANK KOPESTE (1907) owns and farms the southwest quarter of section 4, LaCrosse township. He is a native of Peoria, Illinois, and was born April 25, 1869.

The parents of our subject were Frank and' Mary Prochazka Kopeste, both natives of Austria. They were married in their native land and came to America in 1867, living respectively in Racine, Wisconsin; Peoria, Illinois; Gibson City, Illinois; Spirit Lake, Iowa; Marshalltown, Iowa; and Des Moines, Iowa. Mr. Kopeste was a farmer and carpet weaver. He died at Des Moines in 1891, aged 63 years. Mrs. Kopeste now lives at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Frank is next to the oldest of a family of nine children in this family.

Frank spent his early years with his parents, residing in the different places mentioned, engaging in farming and carpenter work after growing to manhood. He worked at his trade six years in Marshall town, Iowa, and Des Moines, Iowa, and then engaged in farming in Linn county, Iowa. In the spring of 1907 he came to Jackson county and bought his present farm, the southwest quarter of section 4, LaCrosse. township. He is clerk of school district No. 122 and is a member of the Bohemian lodge of Jackson.

Mr. Kopeste was married at Des Moines, Iowa, November 6, 1889, to Katie Kesl, who was born in Belle Plaine, Iowa, in 1872. To them have been born six children, named as follows: Mary, Frank, Agnes, Emily, Adelaide and Margaret.

JOHN LARSON (1902) is a Belmont township farmer. He is a native of Sweden and was born May 8, 1858, the eldest of a family of six children born to Gustav and Mary (Anderson) Larson. The other children of this family are Oscar, Augusta, Hannah, Sophia and Tillie Nelson.

Mr. Larson resided with his parents in Sweden until fourteen years old; then he worked out for a few years and in 1875 crossed the water to America. The first seventeen years of his life in the new world were passed as a resident of Bureau county, Illinois, where he worked out for a few years and then engaged in farming. From 1892 to 1902 he lived in Emmet county, Iowa, where he bought land and engaged in farming. He came to Jackson county in the year last mentioned, bought his present farm of 160 acres on sections 9 and 15, Belmont township, and has since made his home there. He is a director of school district No. 123 and has served as road overseer. He is a member of the M. W. A. lodge. In Bureau county, Illinois, our subject was married on June 17, 1885, to Clara A. Larson, fl native of Sweden. To this union have been born nine children, named as follows: Jolin (deceased), Susie, Willie, Esther, Ivan, Mary, Lewis, I^vi and Vernie.

THOMAS EDEL (1889), who with his brothers, have charge of their father's farm - the northwest quarter of section 23, Belmont - was born in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, September 12, 1876, the son of Joseph and Catherina (Peterlek) Edel. He came to Jackson county with the family in 1889 and has ever since made his home with his father in Belmont township, securing an education in the district schools and working on the farm. In June, 1907, Mr. Edcl filed on a homestead claim in ^Martin county, North Dakota. He is a member of the Z. C. B. J. lodge.

ANTON VAVRICHEK (1906), who owns the Clear Lake creamery on section 24, Hunter township, is a buttermaker of many years experience. He was born in the province of Moravia, Austria, November 24, 1868, th« son of Anton and Antionette (Yukl) Vavrichek. When he was one year old the family came to the United States and located at Western College, Linn county, Iowa.

Anton received his education in Linn county and grew to manhood there. After a residence of eighteen years in Linn county he moved to Spirit Lake, Iowa, where he resided seven years. During this time he learned the creamery business, taking a seven months' course in the Iowa state agricultural school at Ames. Moving to Colorado, he conducted his first creamery there one year; then he returned and located at Spencer, Iowa. He operated a creamery there on salary five years, and then conducted it for his own account one year. We next find Mr. Vavrichek at Mount Vernon, South Dakota, where for two years he was foreman of a creamery plant. He came to Jackson county in May, 1906, bought the Clear Lake creamery, and has since conducted it, building it up to the standard it maintains today. Mr. Vavrichek has served as township supervisor one year. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen lodge.

Mr. Vavrichek was married to Miss Anna C. Anderson, of Spencer, Iowa, on Cliristmas day, 1899. To them has been born one child, Lloyd, born January 24, 1906.

JOHN A. SALIN (1895), of Jackson, was bom in Sweden July 20, 1860, the son of John and Betsy (Benson) Salin. At the age of four years he accompanied his parents to America with the Bishop Hill colony and for thirty-five years lived in Henry county, Illinois. In 1889 Mr. Salin went to Litchfield, Nebraska, lived there six years and on July 19, 1895, located in Jackson, where he has since resided.

FREDERICK W. ALEXANDER (1901) farms the Herman Miller farm on sections 30 and 31, Wisconsin township. He was born in Germany May 25, 1861, the son of Frederick and Annie (Clausen) Alexander. His father is dead; his mother lives in the old country.

Frederick received his education in the old country and until he was twenty-two years of age worked on his father's farm. He then came to America and located in Olmsted county, Minnesota. Two years later he went to Clinton county, Iowa, which was his home about seventeen years. For several years he worked in the town of CJlinton, and after that worked at farm work near the town. He arrived in Jackson county in 1901, and has since been engaged in farming the place upon which he now lives.' He is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge.