Jackson County, Minnesota - Biographical sketches, 1910 (part 4 of 13)

Anders R. Kilen came to America with his parents in 1858, he being then eleven years of age. For several years he lived with the family in Dane county, Wisconsin, and later accompanied them to Fillmore county, Minnesota. When he was twenty years old, in 1867, he came with his father and mother to Jackson county, and during the first year lived on his father's homestead. The next year, becoming of age, he took as a homestead claim the west half of the northeast quarter of section 20, adjoining his father's claim, and on that claim he lived as a bachelor eight years. On that claim he started in life for himself and began the accumulation of his fortune. He succeeded through perseverance and hard work. His first work was breaking prairie for the pioneer settlers with his four yoke of oxen, for which he was paid five dollars per acre. Among his early day contracts was that for hauling the lumber for the first church erected in the country - the Presbyterian of Jackson. During the first year or two after taking his claim Mr. Kilen lived in a little log shack. Then he erected a commodious log house^ which was at the time jjonsidered a palace, and in which he entertained the early settlers and extended hospitality to wayfarers. In this house he lived until 1891, when he erected his present elegant home just across the road in section 17.

Hard times came upon Mr. Kilen during the terrible grasshopper scourge in the early seventies as it did to all the residents of Jackson county of that time, and during this time he was obliged to go to Faribault county to work in the harvest fields to earn enough money to support himself. He had many experiences worthy of recording of the early days Once, in the winter of 1873, while returning to his home afoot, he was caught in one of the dreaded prairie storms and came near perishing. He sought refuge in a miserable little hut in Heron Lake township, and there for four days lie remained without food or fire. The only thing that kept him from freezing to death was the fact that there was a small quantity of hay in the shack, which he twisted into ropes and wrapped about his limbs, making a covering to protect them from the biting cold.

Mr. Kilen may properly be called the father of Lakefield, for it was he who platted the town in 1879 and started the little town on its way to future gi*eatness. He stills owns land adjoining that village. He engages extensively in stock raising and has large herds. He has a large orchard and has gained more than a local reputation as an apple raiser.

Mr. Kilen is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of West Belmont, and it was largely through his efforts that the church was built some twenty years ago. At that time money was scarce and the Norwegian Lutherans of the vicinity were poor. Mr. Kilen undertook to raise the money for this purpose and was successful. He solicited funds from the governor and other state officials, from the county officers, real estate men and others, and the church now stands as a monument to his loyalty to church. While always active in business affairs, ^Ir. Kilen has never sought office.

In High Lake township, Emmet county, Iowa, on November 15, 1876, Mr. Kilen was united in marriage to Anna Isaacson, who was born in Norway and came to the United

States at the age of one year. She was the daughter of Erick and Andriania Isaacson, early Iowa settlers. She died July 20, 1905, aged fifty years. The second marriage of Mr. Kilen occurred in Belmont township June 30, 1906, when he wedded Christina Morkie, who was born in Norway and came to the United States just prior to her marriage. She was born October 12, 1877, and is the daughter of Ole Morkie, now living in Norway, and Bertha (Berge) Morkie, who died in her native country. To Mr. and Mrs. Kilen have been born two children: Anna J., born November 17, 1907; Bertha O., born December 25, 1908, died November 28, 1909.

LOUIS F. LAMMERS (1880), attorney at law of Heron Lake, has resided in that village nearly thirty years and is one of the best known men of Jackson county. He is a native Minnesocan and the son of very early pioneers to this commonwealth. His parents came when the Minnesota country was a part of Wisconsin territory, and he himself was born before the state was admitted to the union.

The parents of our subject were Fred W. and Helen C. (Nelson) Lammers. The father was born in the kingdom of Hanover February 22, 1829, and was a graduate of the university of Hanover, being a Greek and Latin scholar. He immigrated to America in 1844, and for three years lived in New Orleans and St. Louis, employed as a bookkeeper for a pioneer lumber company. While in the service of the company he moved to Taylor's Falls, Wisconsin territory (now Minnesota), then an untamed wilderness, and for several years served as bookkeeper and accountant for the Southern Lumber company. He afterwards engaged in lumbering for himself and was so engaged until 1861, when he sold out and engaged extensively in farming near Taylor's Falls. In 1865 the. elder Lammers moved to Marine Mills, Washington county, and there he spent the remainder of his life, dying there February 12, 1896. Our subject's mother was born at Rock Island, Illinois, March 2, 1834, and was married to Mr. Lammers September 18, 1852, at Taylor's Falls. They were the parents of fifteen children, of whom the following named are living: Nathan D., George A., Albert J., Charles A., Alice H., Swanson, Louisa A., all of Stillwater, Minnesota; Frank E., of Minneapolis; Mary E. Wood and Louis F., of Heron Lake, and Clarence, of Washington.

Our subject was the third child of this family and was born at Taylor's Falls, liCnnesota, December.^ 14, 1856. He received a high school educatidn at Marine Mills and a business education in the St. Paul Commercial college. At the age of twenty he left home and took a position as bookkeeper in the pineries of Wisconsin, working several years for the Schulenburg Lumber company of St. Louis and later for Isaac Staples, the millionaire lumberman of Stillwater. On July 20, 1880, Mr. Lammers arrived in Heron Lake, and the village has ever since been his home.

During the first two years of his residence in Jackson county Mr. Lammers was employed as bookkeeper for John T. Smith. Then he engaged in the general merchandise business in partnership with C. A. Wood, which business he 'continued until 1888. During the time he was engaged in business Mr. Lammers took up the study of law, and in 1888> at the June term of court at Windom, he made application for admission to the bar. Judge A. D. Perkins appointed a commission consisting of George W. Wilson, of Worthington; John G. Redding, of Windom; and Daniel Rohrer, of Worthington, who conducted the examination in open court. June 23, 1888, an order of the court was made admitting him to the practice of law, which has since been his profession. He has one of the largest and best equipped law libraries in southwestern Minnesota, and he enjoys an extensive and lucrative practice.

(^several occasions Mr. Lammers has been an official capacity. In the fall of 1886 he was elected superintendent of schools and was reelected ip 1888. In January, 1896, he was appointed county attorney by the board of county commissioners to complete the unexpired term of W. A. Funk, who resigned. He was elected county attorney on the republican ticket in 1906 and served one term. He was president of the Heron Lake village council during 1905, 1906 and 1907, and since the last date has been village attorney. For fifteen years he served as president of the Heron Lake board of education, during which time three school houses were erected.

Sixteen hundred acres of farming lands in Jackson and Cottonwood counties are owned by Mr. Lammers as well as valuable village property, including a handsome home in Heron Lake. He is an active lodge man and is a member of all the A. F. & A. M. lodges from the Blue lodge to and including the Shrine, holding membership in Osman Temple, of St. Paul. He has filled all the offices in the Odd Fellows order and holds membership in the Elks lodge No. 225, of Mankato, the M. W. A. and the A. 0. U. W.

Mr. Lammers was married at Heron Lake June 30, 1883, to Harriet £. Spaulding, a native of Saratoga, New York, and a daughter of Mary E. Spaulding. They are the parents of three children, as follows: Howard M., born February 9, 1888; Raymond S., bom October 3, 1892; Mildred H., bom September 15, 1895. Howard M., the eldest, was graduated from the United States naval academy in June, 1908, and is now an officer in the naval service of the United States.

MARTIN HOLSTEN (1874) was bom in Belmont township May 5, 1874, and has spent his entire life on the old family homestead on section 34. He is engaged in farming the place for his mother, having 200 acres in sections 34 and 33 in his charge.

Martin Holsten is a son of the late Holsten Olson and Ingebor (Slaabaken) Olson. These parents were born in Norway, came to America when young and were married in Wisconsin. They came to Jackson county with the Norwegian emigrants of 1861 and homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 34, Belmont township. Holsten Olson and his family lived at Spirit Lake one year after the massacre and then returned to his claim. He lived on the old homestead until his death, October 1, 1903, at the age of 73 years. Mrs. Olson lives with her son and is 75 years of age. There were eleven children in the family, of whom four sons and three daughters are living.

Martin assisted in working the home farm until his father's death in 1893; then he took the management of the farm and has since conducted it for his mother.

Mr. Holsten was married at Brownsburg, Belmont township, June 30, 1900, to Mary Lilleberg, who was born in Belmont township June 22, 1874. She is the daughter of Ole Lilleberg, who came to Belmont in 1866 and who still resides in the township. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Holsten. Osmund, tlie first born, died in infancy. The

Biogeaphical Histoey

MICHAEL J. GERLACH (1868), of Middletown township, has been a resident of Jackson county almost his entire life, coming here with his parents when less than one year old. He is the son of John and Lizzie Gerlach now residents of Jackson village. They were bom in Germany and came to Jackson county with the pioneers, first taking a homestead in Petersburg township and later locating in Wisconsin township.

Michael was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, February 21, 1868, and when an infant in arms came to this county with his parents. He lived respectively in Petersburg, Wisconsin and Middletown townships on farms owned by his father, making his home with his parents until twenty-four years of age. At that age he started out for himself, working out and engaging in farming. In 1902 he rented the southeast quarter of section 14, Middletown, fnom his brother Frank and has since made his home there.

Mr. Gerlach was married in Jackson county March 6, 1002, to Louisa Buchsen, a native of the state of Iowa. To these parents have been bom the following named children: Morris H., bom December 1, 1902; Vera A.,* bom December 8, 1903; Emily, bora December 10, 1904; Grace G., born December 11, 1906; Eva M., bom December 21, 1908. Mr. Gerlach is a member of the M. W. A. lodge.

HIRAM C. RUE (1873), deputy county auditor, is a Jackson county boy, having been bom and brought up and having spent his entire life in the county. He is the son of County Treasurer H. K. Rue and Isabella (Smaley) Rue, natives of Norway and Allamakee county, Iowa, respectively. Hiram was bom on the Hunter township farm March 27, 1873. He grew to manhood on the farm, receiving an education in the district schools and in the Breck school at Wilder, which he attended two years.

After reaching manhood Mr. Rue engaged in school teaching, being so engaged in Hunter and Sioux Valley townships five years, during which time he made his home with his parents on the farm. In 1896 he took a position as clerk in a store at Lakefield and was so engaged until the first of January, 1901. He then moved to Jackson and took a position as deputy county treasurer under his father's administration. One and one-half years later he was appointed deputy county auditor by P. D. McKellar and has since held the position.

Mr. Rue was mai-ried at Lakefield June 17. 1903, to Minnie Moe, a native of Blue Earth county, Minnesota, and a daughter of B. J. (ind Isabella Moe, of Lakefield. Two children liave been born to Afr. and Mrs. Rue as follows: Maynard, bom, February 7, 1905; Isabella, born June 24, 1907.

Mr. Rue is an active lodge man, holding membership in the Blue Lodge and Chapter of the Masonic orders, in the M. B. A., the M. W. A. and the I. O. O. F.

ALBERT H. GILBERT (1869), of Petersburg township, was born in that precinct and has spent his entire life of forty years there. The date of his birth was August 22, 1869, and his parents were Hogan and Mary (Olson) Gilbert.

Until he was twenty-four years of age Albert resided with his parents on the farm. Then he bought his present farm in section 36 and has since been engaged in business for liimself. As a boy he endured many oj the hardships incident to pioneer life and painfully remembers the incidents connected with the grasshopper invasions of the early seventies.

In his farming operations he has prospered. He owns 320 acres of land on sections 36 and 35. In addition to farming and raising stock he has other business interests, owning stock in the Petersburg Creamery company, the Jackson Telephone company and the Petersburg Threshing company. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

MICHAEL H. ERPESTAD (1871) is a pioneer of Jackson county and one of the large land owners and successful farmers of Delafield township. He owns 400 acres of land in Delafield and Christiania townships and farms it all.

Mr. Erpeatad is a Norwegian by birth and was born January 30, 1851, the only child born to Anna E. Erpestad. His mother came to America in 1870 and died in 1907, aged 80 years. The early life of our subject was passed in his native land. There he secured a con?- mon school education and engaged in farm work until 1869. That year he came to America and located in Fillmore county. Minnesota, where he worked out until 1871. Coming to Jackson county in the year last mentioned, Mr. Erpestad bought the home quarter of his present farm in 1880. During the first nine vears of his residence here he lived with his mother on section 24, Delafield; then he moved onto his own farft, and has ever since been engaged in its management. He prospered and his since added to his possessions by the purchase of 240 acies in section 7, Christiania, adjoining his home place in Delafield township.

During his long residence in Jackson county ^fr. Erpestad has held many offices of trust within the gift of his neighbors. He served as chairman of the board of supervisors for j« number of years, was assessor two years and township treasurer three years. He now holds the office of director of school district No. 22. Mr. Erpestad is a member of the Norwegian LutUeran church of Windom.

On December 3, 1881, in Delafield townsh'-p, Mr. Erpestad was married to Josephine Johnson, who was born in Adams county, Wisconsin, in January, 1863, and who died in the fall of 1896. To this union four children were born: Emma, Joseph, Anna and Sophia. The second marriage of Mr. Erpestad occurred in .February, 1899, when he wedded Tomine Skrove. who was born in Jackson county in 1872. To them have been born four children, named as follows: Gea, Albert, Oscar and Anna.

CLARENCE W. GREENWOOD (1872), proprietor of a plumbing shop in Jackson and dealer in heating and electric lighting supplies, has spent the thirty-seven years of his life in Jackson county. He is the son of the late I. B. and Cynthia (Scott) Greenwood, pioneer settlers of the county. Both parents were natives of Pennsylvania. They came to Jackson countv in 1867 and homesteaded on the west bank of Loon lake. They resided on that place until 1878, spent two years in Dakota, and then took up their residence in Jackson. The father died September 5, 1892, aged 70 years; the mother died June 7, 1904, aged 72 vears.

Clarence is the youngest of a family of seven children born to these parents, the other children being Grace, who died April 17, 1908; Calistia, Thomas, Wilbur, who died November 5, 1871; Charles and Frank. Our subject was born on the farm in Minneota township February 28, 1872. Lentil his father*8 death Clarence resided at home, securing his education, and at the age of twenty years started out for himself. For several years he was a Western t'nion lineman, for three and one-half years be served as the Jackson village marshal, and then he took up the work of an electrician, engaging in the work in Jackson three years. Before giving up that work he had established a plumbing shop on Third avenue and he has been engaged in that business ever since. He owns his home and place of business. Fraternallv he is associated with the Masonic and Woodmen orders.

Mr. Greenwood was married in Jackson in November, 1899, to Augusta Seager, who was born in Germany and who came to the Unit^ States when twelve years of age. Both her |>arents died in Milwaukee. To Mr. and Mrs. (ireenwood have l)een bom the following named children: Ethel, born July 26, 1901; William C, born April 8, 1904; Louis C, born August 24, 1907.

A. E. JOHNSON (1872), farmer and land owner of Delafield township, has lived in that precinct ever since he was two years of age. He was born at Stoughton, Wisconsin, March 28, 1870. His father, Erick Johnson, was bom in Norway and came to the United States about 1866. He located first in Wisconsin and came tp Jackson county in 1872, where he died in 1891. The mother of our subject was Ingebor Johnson. She died in 1896.

The subject of this biography came to Jackson county with his parents in June, 1872, and has ever since lived in Delafield township. His father took a homestead claim of eighty acres on section 24, and on that farm young Johnson grew to manhood. He attended the district schools and worked on the farm for his father. In 1895 he took charge of the home farm, and, his mother dying the next year, he tlien engaged in farming on his own account. In 1903 he located on his present place, having planted the giove and erected the buildings thereon. He is a member of the M. W. A. lodge of Windom.

Mr. Johnson was married in Belmont township September 11, 1897, to Belle Sogge, a native of Belmont and a daughter of Ole G. Sogge. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, named as follows: Eldon, born June 9, 1898; Gehardt, born August 24, 1899; Benora, born March 3, 1901; Alma, born March 22, 1902; Lillian, bom October 24, 1906.

ALBERT S. KNUTSON (1874), farmer and landowner of Petersburg township, has lived in the county his entire life. He was born on the farm in Petersburg township June 7, 1874, the son of Siver and Christie (Kittleson) Knutson. His father died March 28, 1903.

Albert grew to manhood in Jackson county and now owns and farms the land which his father homesteaded in 1874. In addition to the home farm he owns other valuable tracts in Petersburg township. He has stock in the Petersburg Creamery company, in the Jackson Telephone company and in the Elevator company at Alpha. He has been supervisor of Petersburg township for several years.

Mr. Knutson was married December 18, 1907, to Clara Sanderson, of Allamakee county, Iowa. To them has been born one child, Christine A., bom January 14, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Knutson are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

JOHN C. LUENEBURG (1878), carpenter and contractor of Lakefield and proprietor of a summer resort on Heron lake, was born in Germany December 27, 1858, son of Ludwig and Lena (Fischbach) Lueneburg, both deceased. He was thirteen years old when he came to the United States witli his parents and located in Morrison county, Missouri. Two ye^rs later the family located in Fillmore county, Minnesota, and there our subject lived until 1878. He worked on his fathers farm and learned the carpenter trade at Hamilton.

John accompanied his parents to Jackson county in 1878, and for several years lived with them on the homestead on section ten, Rost township. During these years he assisted with the farm work and worked at his trade. When he became of age he took as a homestead the southeast quarter of section 4, Rost township, which he farmed for a short time. Mr. Lueneburg located in Lakefield in 1885 and engaged in the furniture business four years. He then spent a few months in the state of Oregon, but returned to Lakefield, and has since worked at his trade, engaging in contract work to a considerable extent. In 1899 he bought a small tract of ground on the bank of Heron lake, on section 30, Heron Lake township, and erected a house. He spends the summer months there and resides in the village during the winter months. He operates two pleasure launches on Heron lake for the benefit of pleasure seekers and has a fine place for a resort.

Mr. Lueneburg was married at Wells, Minnesota, January 8, 1883, to Miss Mary Gabriel, who was born in Germany and came to tlie United States at the age of eighteen years. Four children, named Annie, Ida, Hugo and George, have been born to Mr. and Mrs; Lueneburg. During the period of his residence in Rost township Mr. Lueneburg served as a supervisor and as a member of the school board.

HANS M STALL (1870) is a Des Moines township farmer who owns the northwest quarter of section 1. He was born on the old Stall homestead on section 2, Des Moines, on March 25, 1870. Oliver Stall, our subject's father, still lives on the old homestead and is seventyyears of age. Helen (Hansen) Stall, our subject's mother, died in 1876.

Hans Stall attended the district school and grew to manhood on his father's farm. At the age of twenty-three years he started in life for himself, working out and engaging in farming. He lived in Jackson nine years, engaged in teaming, to which place he moved in 1899. He bought his present farm from his brother, Edward Stall; in 1908.

On May 27, 1893, in the county of his birth, Mr. Stall was married to Belle Ilolsten, a native of Belmont township and a daughter of the late Holsten Olson and Engebor Olson. To them has been born one child, Bennerd H., born January 23, 1903.

WILLIE P. KING (1866), photographer and justice of the peace of Jackson, is one of the early day settlers of tlie county, having resided here forty -three years. He is a native of Adams, Walworth county, Wisconsin, and was born July 9, 1857, the son of William V. and Antonette L. (Porter) King.

When our subject was four years old he moved with the family from Walworth county to Crawford coimty, Wisconsin. In 1864 he moved back to Walworth county and made his home with his grandparents, his father being in the army at the time. He moved from Wisconsin to Austin, Minnesota, in March^ 1866, and on the twelfth day of October following arrived in Jackson county. He resided on his father's homestead in Wisconsin township until 1872, and then moved to the village of Jackson, where he attended the village schools until 1878. That year he moved onto the farm in Hunter township, where he engaged in farming and sheep raising in partnership with his father. In 1882 he bought the farm, his parents at that time moving to Jackson, and conducted it alone until December, 1884.

On the last named date, on account of his wife's poor health, Mr. King moved to Jackson and for the next three years assisted his father in the county auditor's office. In the spring of

1888 to the summer of 1891 Mr. King resided in Windom, working in a photograph gallery and serving part of the time as justice of the peace. He again located at Jasper in 1891 and from that time until the spring of 1896 was engaged in operating a photograph gallery in that town and serving as justice of the peace. He returned to Jackson in 1896 and the next year built on Main street and opened a photograph gallery, which he has since conducted.

Mr. King has often been called upon to serve in an official capacity and has been justice of the peace for a number of years. He was school treasurer in Hunter township from 1882 to 1885 and was elected court commissioner in 1896. He is foreman of Fire company No. 1, and has been a member of the Jackson fire de partment for twenty-four years.

Mr. King was married to Mary E. Trumbull in Jackson on January 1, 1882. She died February 28, 1887. To this union were born two children, Bessie, who died September 26, 1884, and Genevra M., who is now teaching school in

Pipestone county. Mr. King's second marriage occurred at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, January 1, 1892, when he married Mary Rovang, a native of Iowa. To this union have been born the following named children: Gracie P., William v., James H. P., Rignald G., Nellie T. A., Anna V., Irve R., Wilbur R. C. and Robert D. Mr. King holds membership in the K. P. and M. W. A. lodges. He served as a deputy organizer for the latter order for a number of years.

ANTON PEDERSON (1873), deceased, was one of the wealthy and successful farmers of Heron Lake township. He was born in Norway^ February 9, 1863, the son of Hans Pederson^ who still lives in Heron Lake township.

Anton came to America with his parvents in 1871, and for a year and a half lived in Red Wing, Minnesota. The family then moved to Jackson county and located on the northwest quarter of section 28, Heron Lake township, which was homesteaded by Hans Pederson. Anton grew to manhood in Jackson county and after reaching mature years engaged in farming. He became the owner of the original homestead and several other pieces of property, his widow now owning, in addition to the hpme place, the east half of section 29 and the west half of the northwest quarter of section 22, Heron Lake township, and a quarter section in Cottonwood county. Mr. Pederson was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Lakefield and was vice president of that institution at the time of his death. lie was township treasurer several years. Mr. Pederson died February 14, 1907.

Mr. Pederson was married July 20, 1892, to Emma Swenson, who was born in Delafield township July 28, 1872, and who has spent her entire life in Jackson county. She is one of a family of ten children born to John and Tillie (Weberg) Swenson,* natives of Sweden and early day residents of Jackson county. They came from their native country, lived two years in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and then located on section 10, Delafield township, where they resided until 1907, when they moved to Windom, where they now live. To Mr. and Mrs. Pederson were born four children: Cora, bom March 4, 1894; Hilda, bom July 10, 1897; Alvin, born December 1, 1903; Rosella, bom November 24, 1905. The family are members

Since the death of Mr. Pederson, Mrs. Pederson has purchased and now owns one of the i*ne8t residences in the village of Lakefield, Minnesota.

JOHN 0. SWENSON (1876), in partnership with his brother, Olof^ farms 320 acres of land in Delafield township, a mile and a half south of the village of Wilder, the land being the property of their father, Andrew Swenson.

Our subject, is a native of Delafield township and was bom December 1, 1875, the son of Andrew and Martha (Skinrud) Swenson. His parents were born in Norway, came to America before their marriage and located in Wisconsin. There they were married in 1871 and the same year came to Jackson county. The elder Swenson took as a homestead claim the southeast quarter of section 18, Delafield township, and upon that place he has ever since resided. By hard work and the practice of frugality he has prospered until today he owns 320 acres of fine farming land and one of the finest farm residences in Delafield township. Andrew and Martha Swenson are the parents of three children: Clara (Mrs. Peter Stokke), of Spokane, Washington; John O., of this sketch, and Olof.

John O. Swenson grew to manhood on his father's farm and has spent his entire life lliere. He was educated in the district schools and in the Breck school of Wilder. Ip 1901 he and his brother Olof rented their father's land and have since been engaged in the management of the place. The boys are successful farmers. During the season of 1909 they harvested about 5,000 bushels of small grain and had seventy-five acres planted to com.

For four years John O. Swenson was secretary and treasurer of the Wilder Cooperative Creamery company. He has held the office of clerk of the township board for the past three years and for the last eight or nine years he has served as clerk of school district No. 115. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

He came to America in 1874, when eighteen years of age, and settled near Blue Earth City, Minnesota. There he continued his education, which had been begun in Norway, and completed it with a course in St. Olof's college of Northfield. The first two years of his life in the United States were spent on the farm near Blue Earth City and the next four in the town of Austin, where he learned the miller's trade. He then moved to Blue "Earth City, where he remained five years and was employed at his trade. He took up the same work in Winnebago and was employed in a mill there seven years. Mr. Fosness moved to Lakefield in June, 1892, and built the flouring mill. The next year he sold a half interest to W. D. Hill and the firm name has since been Fosness & Hill.

Mr. Fosnesct was married at Winnebago August 22, 1889, to Miss Laura Williams and to them have been bom the following named children: Arthur, born November 18, 1890; Leslie, born June 1, 1898; Ethel, bom October 18, 1900; Pauljborn May 15, 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Fosness are members of the Methodist church. He belongs to the A. F. and A. M., Odd Fellows, Woodmen and Workmen orders.

ALBERT WILEY (1868). Among the pidneers of the county is Albert Wiley, janitor of the high school building at Jackson, who has resided in the county since he was fourteen years of age The parents of our subject were William and Ann (Garvin) Wiley.

William Wiley came to the county and homestead in Heron Lake township in 1867, moving there with his family the following year. He was the first man to file on a claim in that township and when he arrived the only other while man there was a trapper by the name of Benjamin Harrison. Immediately after his arrival, however, quite a number of families came and made their homes in the township. Mr. Wiley, Sr., lived on the farm in Heron Tjike township until 1884. From then until 1892 he lived in Jackson and then moved to Boone county, Iowa, where he died in 1894. aged 71 years. His wife died in Jackson in July, 1907, aged 71 years.

Wisconsin, and in May. 1868, came with tliem' to Jackson county. On his father's farm on section 28, Heron Lake township, Albert lived until he was twenty-two years old. Then he married, bought a farm in the same township, and engaged in farming until 1884. That year he sold out and, after spending several months in Iowa, took up his residence in Jackson, where he has ever since lived. He engaged in carpenter work, which he followed continuously until 1893. That year he was made janitor of the high school building, which position he has ever since held. Until 1006 he engaged in carpenter work during the summer months, but since that date has given up his trade and devotes his whole time to his duties at the school house. During his residence in Heron Lake township Mr. Wiley held a township office from the time he was of age until he moved from the precinct, the offices held being supervisor and clerk. He is a member of the Methodist church and of the M. W. A. lodge.

Mr. Wiley was married in Weimer township March 29, 1876, to Carrie A. Will ford, who was bom in Wiscoijsin and came to Minnesota when seven years old. Her father, Joseph Willford, was frozen to death in a blizzard at Spirit Lake in February, 1865. To Mr. and Mrs. Wiley have been born the following children: Minnie M., Nellie A., Alice A., Mary E. and Orlie W.

WALTER S. FREER (1874), proprietor of a livery barn at Heron Lake and deputy sheriff of Jackson county, is a native of Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he was born March 29, 1869. His parents were Johanes D. and Anna (Hasbrook) Freer, natives of Ulster county. New York. They moved to Winneshiek county, Iowa, in 1868, and to Jackson county in 1874. The father took as a homestead claim the southwest quarter of section 24, Alba township, and on that farm the family resided until about fifteen years ago, when they moved to Heron Lake. Johanes Freer died December 24, 1894, aged 76 years; Anna Freer died October 16, 1896, aged 76 years. They were the parents of seven children, of whom the following six are living: Hasbrook, Sarah, Newton, Peter, Mary and Walter S.

Walter Freer came to Jackson county with his parents in 1874 and resided on the home farm until twenty-three years of age, receiving an education in the Heron Lake school. He then moved to the village and bought the Pioneer hotel and a livery stable, and has ever since been in the livery business. Foi ihv. past seventeen years he has foHowed the race circuit and has a fine string of horses. Mr. Freer owns four residences and a business lot in the village. He holds membership in the Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen lodges. He is deputy sheriff of the county and has held the office several terms. He also served two terms as member of the village council.

Mr. Freer was married in Heron Lake February 26, 1886, to Nora Parro, a native of Minnesota. She die^l April 19, 1893, aged 24 years. Two children were born 'to this union, of which one, Fred W., is living, having been bom July 8, 1890. Mr. Freer's second marriage occurred July 10, 1895, to Miss Ida Weld. To them one child has been born, Margaret, bom October 10, 1898.

JURGEN SCHW'AGER (1883) is one of the large land owners and successful farmers of Sioux Valley township, of which precinct he is one of the early settlers.

Mr. Schwager was born in Germany August 16, 1849, and spent the first eighteen years of his life in the Fatherland. He secured a common school education and learned the shoemaker's trade. He came to America with his parents in 1867 and first located at Davenport, Iowa. The family were without means and Jurgen began working out, his first work in the nqw world being a job of hoeing onions at seventy-five cents per day. In 1871 his father and a brother rented a farm in Scott county, near Davenport, and for the next two years our subject lived on that farm, working for farmers in the neighborhood. In 1873 our subject and his father rented a farm and in 1875 he married and took over the lease, conducting it on his own account until 1883.,

In the year last mentioned Mr. Schwager came to Jackson county. For six years he rented a farm on section 17, Sioux Valley township. Then he bought the northeast quarter of section 8, his present home farm, and has ever since made his home there. At the time of purchase there was not a tree or building on the farm and all the improvements have been made by him. He has prospered exceedingly and now owns 497% acres of choice land in Sioux Valley township, besides a quar- ter section of land in McLean county, North Dakota. He has an elegant home and a well improved farm, drained by thousands of feet of tile. He is an extensive stock breeder, making a specialty of Hereford cattle.

Mr. Schwager has been a director of the Sioux Valley creamery since its organization. From 1889 to 1900 he was township clerk and was assessor for ten years. He and his family are members of the German Lutheran church.

The parents of our subject were Claus and Anna (Messer) Schwager. They came to America at the same time their son did, resided in Davenport and Durant, Iowa, and died in the latter town. They had three sons, Tim, of Durant, Iowa; Jurgen, of this sketch; Christ, of Martin county, Minnesota.

Mr. Schwager was married at Davenport, Iowa, December 30, 1875, to Anna Wiebener, who was born in Germany and who came to America the year of her marriage. Her parents were Ehler and Margareta Wiebner. The former died in 1875; the latter died at her daughter's home in Sioux Valley township in 1902. To Mr. and Mrs. Schwager have been born seven children, as follows: Emma, born October 19, 1876; Louisa, born November 15, 1877; George, born March 21, 1879, died December 10, 1904; Amanda, born May 7, 1881; Willie, born April 21, 1884; Bernie, born March 18, 1883, died May 4, 1884; Harry, bom October 13, 1889.

PETER BORSGARD (1872). farmer and school teacher, owns 160 acres of land on section 28, Christiania township. He is a native of the county, having been born in the precinct in which he now lives M^rch 10, 1872, the son of Severt Olson Borsgard and Kiersten (Krogstad) Olson Borsgard, both deceased. .

Peter early decided upon teaching for his profession. After securing a primary education in the district school he attended the college at Wilder. He lived on the home farm until twenty years of age; then he began working out and teaching school, being employed in the latter occupation twelve years. In 1898 he took a course in the Mankato Normal school. Except for a few years spent in Windom, Mr. Borsgard has been a resident of Jackson county all his life. He clerked several years in the store of John Hutton, general merchant of Windom. Mr. Borsgard has stock in the Christiania Mercantile company, which owns the store at Bergen. He clerked in the store two years and was its manager one year.

Our subject was married to* Carrie Kulseth, of Christiania township. May 12, 1900. Three children have been born to this union, as follows: Gertrude, born May 23, 1902; Severt, born July 21, 1905; Thomas Bjarne, born July 5, 1907. Tlie family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

A. M. SCHROEDER (1878), clerk of the district court for Jackson county and exmember of the Minnesota house of representatives, is a native Minnesotan, having been born in Winona county September 9, 1859, the son of Martin and Henrietta (Melicke) Schroeder.

The family moved from Winona county to Blue Earth county in 1863, and there our subject resided for the next fifteen years. The family home was made in Giristiania township, Jackson county, in 1878. After a residence of three years in that township the family again returned to Blue Earth count}'. In 1890 Mr Schroeder took up his residence in Windom, where he lived until 1900 and where, .in 1802, he took the position of salesman for the McCormick Harvester company. In the last named year he came to Jackson county as the representative of the International Harvester company, making his headquarters at Lakefield and Jackson. In 1904, he was selected as one of a party of fourteen of the Internationals salesmen from all parts of the United States to make a tour of Europe. This party visited England, Scotland, Germany and France and was gone five months. Returning he continued with the International company for a time, but in 1905 he went to Canada. For about nine months after his return he held a position with Grandetone Plow company of Dixon, Illinois, and at the beginning of the year 1907 entered upon his duties as clerk of the district court.

Mr. Schroeder has taken quite an active part in local politics. In 1900 he was the democratic nominee for treasurer of Cottonwood county, but was defeated at the election. He was elected a member of the state legislature on the democratic ticket in 1902 and served one term. He was defeated for the same office in 1904 by L. 0. Teigen. In Novem- ber, 1906, Mr. Schroeder was elected to the office of clerk of court, which he has since held. He holds membership in the Knights of Pythias, Modern Woodmen of America and United Commercial Travelers.

JOHN W. CX)WING (1868). In the early days of its history the village of Jackson was fortunate in the class of business men who were attracted to the little town on the banks of the Des Moines. It was due to the enterprise of these men that Jackson continued to hold its place on the map in the early d^ys and became the prosperous and flourishing city it did in after years. Among the first to come and the oldest to remain of these men is the subject of this biography.

John W. Cowing was born in Hexham, England, on July 21, 1843. His parents, John and Elizabeth (Davidson) Cowing, came to Jackson in the seventies and both died in that city. The family moved from England to the United States in 1852 and settled on a farm in Dane county, Wisconsin. Three years later they moved to Adams county, of the same state, and there they lived until 1868. Our subject received a common school educlition in Wisconsin and completed it with a commerqial course in the Worthington business college of Madison. In February, 1865, Mr. Cowing enlisted in company A, of the 49th Wisconsin volunteer infantrv, and served in the army until his discharge in October of the same year.

It was as a young man, twenty-five years of age, that John.W. Cowing came to Jackson in 1868, and engaged in the mercantile business, a business in which he was destined to be engaged thirty-eight years, excepting a temporary withdrawal of two years. When the Brown National Bank was organized in 1905 (succeeding the Bank of Jackson) Mr. Cowing was made vice president, and in October, 1906, he became president of the bank, which position he still retains, and disposed, of his mercantile business. He owns his home and a business block in Jackson, city property in Minneapolis and farm lands in Cottonwood county, Minnesota, and in North Dakota.

For several terms he was chairman of the board of county commissioners, has been president of the village council and president of the board of education of the village. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the A. F. & A. M. lodge.

Mr. Cowing was married at Preston, Minnesota, August 1, 1870, to Alice G. McMurtrie, a native of Racine, Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Cowing are the parents of the following named children: Mrs. A. R. Albertus, of Worthington; Mrs. J. C. Durfee, of Fergus Falls, Minnesota; Mrs. Malcolm Weikle, of Pelican Rapids, Minnesota; Nell M. Cowing and Lillian J. Cowing.

The following concerning Mr. Cowing's early business career in Jackson is of interest. In 1868 he embarked in the mercantile business alone and two years later took as a partner Harrison White, who remained in the firm but one year. His first store was located in a building on the site now occupied by a millinery store north of the Richardson block. After Mr. Cowing vacated the building M. E. Hay, the present governor of Washington, carried on a general merchandise business there for several years. Mr. Cowing erected, in 1872, the building on the comer north of the Robertson implement house, which is now in decay, and in which he conducted a general store for about fifteen years. In 1889 he built the north half of the business block opposite the Ashley house, and here he ended his long mercantile career prior to embarking in the banking business.

ROBERT C. MUIR (1873), auctioneer, of Jackson, is a native of the count} in which he has ever sincje lived. He is the son of Robert C. and Mary (McLean) Muir, who homesteaded in Middletown township in the late sixties and lived there until a few years ago, when they moved to North Dakota.

Robert was born on the farm in Middletown township IMarch 23, 1873, and on that farm he grew to manhood. He received a limited education in the district school and when a boy ten years old began to herd cattle for his father, which was his occupation until sixteen years old. For several years following he worked as a threshing hand for D. W. Pulver and A. Beck. In 1894 he married and moved from the farm to Jackson, where he has since lived. For seven years he ran a dray in the village, and then, in 1901, became an auctioneer. Since that time he has been so engaged during the sales period, making a specialty of farm and stock sales. During the summer months he sells insurance in the Modern Woodmen Casualty company and sells sewing machines.

Mr. Muir owns his home in Jackson and real estate in North Dakota. He is a member of the M. W. A. lodge. The subject of this biography was married in Des Moines township December 19, 1894, to Miss Lizzie Davies. Mrs. Muir was bom June 23, 1875, in Des Moines township and is a daughter of Edward and Ella (Pease) Davies, he being a soldier of the civil war and an early settler of the county. To Mr. and Mrs. Muir have been bom two children: Robert V. and Garth L.

FRED D. SAWYER (1876) is one of the substantial farmers of Middletown township, and be has made his home in Jackson county since 1876. He is the son of P. H. and Adaline (Drake) Sawyer, natives of Maine, where they resided until 1871. Then they came west and settled in Cottonwood county, Minnesota, where they lived on a farm until 1875, when they moved to Jackson county and bought a farm in section one, Middletown township. Here they resided until a few years ago when they moved to Jackson village, where Mr. Sawyer now makes his home. He is 80 years of age. His wife died September 30, 1907, at the age of 70 years. From this union six children were born. They are: George, Lucy, Charles, Albert, Ether L. and Fred D. Albert and Charles are residents of Knox county, Nebraska.

Fred D. Sawyer was bom in Piscataquis county, Maine, December 22, 1866. At the age of five years be moved with his parents to Cottonwood county, Minnesota, and four years later came to Jackson county, where he has since resided. The first year of his- residence in the county was spent in the village of Jackson; then with his parents he moved to a farm north of the village, where he lived two years. He then moved to section one, Middletown township, where he grew to manhood, working on his father's farm and attending the country schools. Fourteen years ago he rented his - father's farm and so continued until 1902, when he bought the north half of section 11, where he has since resided. He also owns the southeast quarter of section 15 in the same township, and he farms the entire 480 acres. He has built his present fine residence and other buildings at a cost of about $3,000. He has held various offices of trust in his home township, and has been for the past four years a member of the township board. He is president of the Middletown Telephone company, which is incorporated and is one of the best farmers lines in the county. He is also prominent in social and church affairs.

Mr. Sawyer was married at Estherville, Iowa, December 8, 1898, to Miss Josephine Peterson, a native of Sweden and a daughter of John and Louise Peterson. They are the parents of two children, Mark A., born September 18, 1899, and Maurice F., born Febmary 26, 1901.

ANTHONY A. ARNOLD (1887) is one of the successful farmers and stock raisers of Sioux Valley township. He owns the southwest quarter of section 32.

Mr. Arnold was born in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, December 23, 1860, and resided in tlkat county until he was twenty-one years of age. His father dying when he was six years of age, Anthony made his home with his mother and stepfather until he was fifteen years old. Then he started in life for himself, working - as a farm laborer for several years. During the winter of 1880-81 he completed his education with a course in the schools at Dubuque, Iowa.

In the spring of 1882 Mr. ArnWd moved to Osceola county, Iowa, was married that fall and then engaged in farming rented land. He soon gave up farming and located in the village of Lake Park. He built the Lake Park house in the fall of 1883 and conducted it two and one-half years. In the spring of 1887 he traded the hotel for his present farm and has since made his home in Sioux Valley township, with the exception of a year and a half when he was on the plains of Commanche county, Oklahoma, (1903-05). When Mr. Arnold located on the farm the improvements consisted of a few primitive shacks left over from homesteader days. All the present upto-date improvements on the place have been made by the present owner. He is a breeder of pure bred Jersey cattle, Duroc-Jersey hogs and White Plymouth Rock chickens.

Henry and Augusta (Schapp) Arnold were the parents of our subject. Both were bom in Germany and came to America when young, having been married in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, and having spent the remainder of their lives there. The father died in 1866; the mother in 1895, aged 62 years.

Mr. Arnold was married in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, October 23, 1882, to Laura Wickler, who was born in the county in which she was married in 1861. To these parents have been born the following named eight children: George A., born November 18, 1883; Clyde B., born June 10, 1886; Carl H., born March 8, 1889; Loretta F., born July 4, 1892; Leona M., bom May 21, 1894; Pearl A., born June 23, 1896; Ervin P., bom June 22, 1899; Gayton E., born May 30, 1903. Mr. Arnold says that one of the best crops on the place have been his children. He has an interesting family. Loretta and Leona are splendid musicians.

Mr. Arnold has been a member of the school board of district No. 64 for the, past eighteen years. He was a member of the township board one year and a justice of the peace two years. He is a stockholder and director of the Farmers Cooperative Creamery company of Lake Park, Iowa, and has stock in the Midland Telephone company of Milford, Iowa, and the Farmers Exchange company of Lake Park. Mr. Arnold is a member of the Methodist church of Lake Park and of the M. W. A. lodge.

A. FRANK GERLACH (1868). For over forty years the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, and who now lives in Jackson, has been a resident of the county, having come here as a baby two and one-half years old. He was born in Columbus, Dane county, Wisconsin, March 1, 1866, the son of John and Lizzie Gerlach.

In November, 1868, the family arrived in Jackson county, having made the trip by team. The father took a homestead in Petersburg township and there our subject spent his boyhood days. He received a country school education and at the age of seventeen years left the home farm. For the next five years he was employed at farm work, and then in 1888 moved to Jackson. For two years he worked on a dray line and then bought a half interest in the business, which he conducted three years. He was appointed village marshal in 1893 and served seven years. He then retired from active pursuits and has since been engaged in looking after his farm propertv. He owns 120 acres of land in Middletown township and 120 acres partly in Wisconsin and partly in Petersburg townships. For two years he served as chief of the Jackson fire department.

ERNEST A. GAGE (1884), ex-president of the First National Bank of Lakefield, is engaged in the insurance business in that village. He is the son of the late Solomon and Marion (King) Gage and descends from colonial stock, one distinguished member of the family being Lyman J. Gage, former secretary of the Uruted States treasury.

Our subject*s grandfather, Solomon Gage, Sr., was born in New Hampshire in 1788 and immigrated to Kane county, Illinois, in 1846. Our subject's father, Solomon Gage, Jr., was born in Arcade, New York, June 15, 1827, and accompanied his father to Rutland township, Kane county, in 1846. There he grew to manhood, bought property and spent practically all the rest of his life. In the fifties he made two trips overland to California, driving ox teams. From the first trip he returned in 1852 by way of Cape Horn; the second return trip was made by way of^the Isthmus of Panama. He came to Jackson county in 1884, bought a section of land in Belmont and Hunter townships, but did not make his home here. Solomon Gage was married three times. His first wife, Susan Hogeboom, died in California March 15, 1857. His second wife and the mother of our subject was Mary E. King, whom he married July 1, 1858. She was born in New Haven, Connecticut, October 4, 1840, and died January 4, 1871. She was the daughter of Madison King and was of English descent. Nine children were born to them, of whom the subject of this biography and John G. Gage, of Lakefield, are the only surviving ones. Solomon Gage was married the third time in 1872 to Mrs. Sylvia Brisbin, a native of Canada. Mr. Gage died in Kane county, Illinois, November 7, 1886.

trict schools and working on his father^s farm. His education was completed with one term in the preparatory department of Beloit college in 1888. As before mentioned, the elder Gage came to Jackson county in 1884 and purchased land. One of these tracts was the south half of section 31, Belmont township, and upon that farm our subject located in January, 1884. He conducted the farm two years and then returned to his old home. He bought the old homestead and engaged in farming until the year 1901. Then he sold out and again came to Jackson county. Locating in Lakefield, he engaged in the implement business four years, selling out March 6, 1905, to his brother, John G. Gage. On the first day of the year 1905 he bought out the interests of N. J. Scott in the First National Bank of Lakefield, became president of the bank, conducted it until the next year, and then sold out to J. W. Daubney. After his retirement from the bank Mr. Gage lived a retired life until January, 1908; then he opened an insurance business, in wfiich he has since been engaged. He writes policies in the New York Life, the Connecticut and the Williamsburg City Insurance company.

Mr. Gage owns a half interest in the implement buildings occupied by his brother and has his own home in the village. He takes an active interest in lodge matters and holds membership in many worthy orders. Of the Masonic orders he is a charter member of Lakefield Lodge No. 250, A. F. & A. M., and was master in 1905; he is a charter member of lodge No. 73, R. A. M., of Jackson; of the Fairmont Commandry No. 27; and of Osman Temple of St. Paul. He holds membership in the Lakefield lodge No. 178^ I. O. O. F.; in the Lakefield chapter No. 185, O. E. S., and -in the Knights of the Globe at Hampshire, Illinois.

Mr. Gage was married March 31, 1890, to Emma C. Hemrick, a native of Kane county, Illinois, and a daughter of Philip H. and Caroline M. (Maupton) Hemrick, both born in Kane county, Hlinois. The former was born September 25, 1848, and now resides in Flagler, Colorado; the latter was born July 3*2, 1850, and died January 8, 1898.

tury. He devotes his time principally to the management of his farms and city property, but is also engaged in buying and shipping furs. He owns 148 acres of land in section 3, Hunter township, a half section in Ransom county, North Dakota, a drug store building in Lakefield, a residence and other property in that village.

L. J. Britsch was bom May 26, 1858, in Niles, Trumbull county, Ohio, the son of Christian and Catherine (Schofer) Britsch. His father was born in Bretten Bathen, Germany, and his mother at Hessen, in the ^ same country. They came to America when young and were married in Ohio. For many years the family lived at Niles, where Mr. Britsch was engaged as a puddler In the iron mills. Later he engaged in farming \a Winneshiek county, Iowa, and later still farmed near Spirit Lake, Iowa, where he died October 23, 1886, aged 56 years. Mrs. Britsch is 77 years of age and resides in Lakefield. Louis is one of a family of ten children, of whom seven are living.

Louis Britsch resided with his parents in Niles, Ohio, until six years old, and then accompanied them to Winneshiek county, Iowa. It was seven years later when the family moved to Spirit Lake. Louis was educated in the district schools, and after securing bis education learned the hamessmaker's trade at Spencer, Iowa. Later he worked at his trade in Chicago, Youngstown, Ohio, New Castle, Pennsylvania, and at Spirit Lake. He located in Lakefield in 1885 and opened a harness shop, which he conducted nine years. Selling out then^ he has since devoted his time as mentioned above.

At Hamilton, Minnesota, on May 26, 1887, Mr. Britsch was married to Miss Ida Hinze, who was born in Cook county, Illinois, January 27, 1869, the daughter of Adolph and Caroline Hinze. To Mr. and Mrs. Britsch have been born four children, as follows: Lillian, a state university student and school teacher, born April 16, 1889; Arthur, a high school student, born November 7, 1892; Elsie, born September 9, 1895; Ludie, born March 15, 1899.

PETER MADSEN (1885) is an extensiTe stock breeder of Kimball township, where he is also engaged in farming a half section of land. Mr Madsen is of Danish birth and was born February 11, 1853. His parents. Mads

Clausen and Came (Larsdatter) Clausen, died in their native land a number of years ago. There are seven living children in the family, as follows: Claus, Lars C.^ Jens, Julia, Mary, Peter and Carl F.

Until he was twenty-one years of age Peter Madsen lived in his native land, working out after he was fourteen years of age. In 1874 he came to America arid located at Peshtigo, Wisconsin. He worked in a sawmill there three years, on a farm in Dodge county, Wisconsin, fourteen months, and then again worked one winter in the timber at Peshtigo. From the Wisconsin town Mr. Madsen went to Chicago, where he was engaged in various occupations until 1885. That year he came to Jackson county and Iqcated upon his present farm - the southeast quarter of section 32, Kimball - which he had bought the year before. At the time of purchase the farm was prairie land with no improvements, and the substantial improvements now on the farm are all the result of the labors of Mr. Madsen.

In the city of Chicago on October 5, 1878, Mr. Madsen was united in marriage to Rangnild Olson, who was bom in Norway May 12, 1860, and came to the United States when ten years of age. She is the daughter of Tora and Mary Olson. Twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Madsen, of whom eleven are living. Theodore died in Chicago at the age of two and one-half years. The others are: Theodore, born January 21, 1883; Edward, born December 21, 1885; Carrie (Mrs. Walkce Mitchell), born September 18, 1887; Julia, born August 4, 1889; Annie, born September 18, 1891; Peter, born September 5, 1893; Walter, bom January 12, 1896; George, bom March 4, 1899; Lawrence, bom June 2, 1901; Roy, born August 15, 1903; Laurine, born June 24, 1905. Mr. Madsen has been treasurer of school district No. 87 for the past ten or twelve years. He is a member of the Danish Brotherhood lodge.

OLE L. LARSON (1882) is a Weimer township farmer residing a short distance south of the village of Heron Lake. He is a native of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, and was born December 2, 1880. At the* age of two years he accompanied his parents to Jackson county, the family home being made on the place now farmed by our subject, the west half of the southwest quarter of section 30, Weimer. With

In 1904 Mr. Larson began farming for himself. He rented farms in the vicinity of Heron Lake until 1907, when he took charge of the home place, where he has since resided, making his home with his mother.

The parents of our subject were Lemlck and Sarah (Olson) Larson, natives of Norway. They came to the United States in the sixties and were married at Red Wing, Minnesota. In the early seventies they came to Jackson county and homesteaded the land now farmed by their son. The father died in 1906. There were seven children in the family as follows: Martin, Elmer, Ole L., Minnie (Mrs. Oscar Seleen), Kate (Mrs. Peter 0. Mickelson), of Canada; Julius £. and Ida L.

Ole received his education in the Heron Lake public schools. He is unmarried. During the year 1908 he served as road overseer of his district. He holds membership in the Yeomen lodge.

JOHN S. LARSON (1872), Delafield township farmer, has spent his entire life in Jackson county, having been bom in a dug-out in Weimer township March 6, 1872. He is next to the youngest in a family of five living children, named as follows: Lena, Annie, Louis, Ludwig and John S. His parents, Segar and Isabella (Johanstadter) Larson, were born in Norway, were married there January 8, 1800, came to America in 1869, resided two years in Boone county, Illinois, and located in Jackson county in the fall of 1871. A homestead was taken on section 10, Weimer township, and there the father of our subject still live*<; his mother died May 8, 1906, aged 72 years.

John Larson resided on the old homestead with his parents until he was of age, working for his father and attending school. After completing the common school course, he entered the Breck school of Wilder, being a student of that school two terms. When he reached his majority he started in life for himself, working as a farm laborer for a few years. In 1896 he bought his present farm, the south half of the southeast quarter of section 6, Delafield township, moved onto the place the next year, and that has since been his home. In addition to his own land he farms an eighty acre tract adjoining, the property of his broth-

At St. James, Minnesota, on July 6, 1897, Mr. Larson was united in marriage to ITelcn Grinager, who was born in Norway November 14, 1875, and who came to the United States with her parents when twelve years of ag<». Her father, Thomas Grinager, died in 1908; her mother, Andrena Grinager, lives in Delafield township. To Mr. and Mrs. Larson have been bom five children, of whom the following three are living: Myrtle, bom October 20, 1899; Tilden, bom Febmary 10, 1904; Alf, bom May 24, 1907. Two children, Inga and Palmer, died in infancy.

THOMAS OLSEK (1889) is a Hunter township farmer who resides on the northwest quarter of section thirty-one. He was born in Norway on August 7, 1860, and there resided on a farm with his parents until sixteen years of age. He then became a sailor and followed a seafaring life until 1882. In that year he emigrated to the United States and first located in Kendall county, Illinois, where he worked on farms for a period of two years. He then moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he made his home until 1889. Then he moved to Jackson county, and took up his residence on section one, in Sioux Valley township, residing on a farm there five years. He then made a trip to his old home in Norway, and returning to Jackson county the next year, he located on his present place in Hunter township, where he has since resided.

Mr. Olsen is the son of Ole and Martha Torreaen, both of whom are natives of Norway, where the former now lives, the mother having died about fifteen years ago. They have five children living.

Thomas Olsen was married in June, 1895, to Magdalina Aslaksen, who is also a native of Norway. They are the parents of five children, as follows: Martin, born January 28, 1896; Olga, bora April 22, 1898; Thelma, bom December 39, 1902; Ardette, bom April 3, 1905; Hilda, born July 15, 1906.

Mr. Olsen has served as director two terms in school district No. 113. He is a stockholder in the Host creamery and the Lakefield grain elevator. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

H. HENRY HUGHES (1878), real estate dealer of Jackson, is one of the weU known residents of that village, having made his home there nearly all the time since 1878. He was born in Oneida county, New York, Feb roary 4, 1845, the son of Richard and Anna (Williams) Hughes. His parents were natives of Wales and came to America when children. His father died in Wisconsin October 14, 1872, at the age of 57 years; his mother died October 20, 1892, at the age of 74 years.

When our subject was twelve years old he moved with his parents from New York state to Columbia county, Wisconsin, and was brought up there on a farm. He received his education in the common schools of Columbia coimty and completed it with a course in a select school at Fox Lake, Wisconsin. After his father's death in 1872 our subject, being the only son and the eldest of a family of five children, took the management of the home farm and conducted it until the fall of 1877.

Mr Hughes came to Jackson in the spring of 1878 and in October entered the employ of the C. L. Colman Lumber company, and a month later took the position of manager of that company's yard at that point, having superintended the building of the yards. He retained his position with the firm until the summer of 1891 - a continuous service of thirteen and a half years, lilr. Hughes had previously invested quite heavily in the implement business and after selling out he moved to St. Paul in the spring of 1892 and for one and a half years was traveling salesman for the Piano Manufacturing company. Then he took a position as traveling representative, with power of attorney for loaning money and collecting, for the First National Bank, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, and was so employed until March 31, 1907, covering four states for the bank. That year he returned to Jackson and engaged in the real estate and insurance business, in which he is still engaged, in addition to looking after his farm lands. He owns 400 acres of Jackson county land, which include two farms. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the A. F. & A. M., I. O. b. F., M. W. A. and M. B. A. lodges.

At Cambria, Columbia county, Wisconsin, on September 19, 1872, Mr. Hughes was united in marriage to Estella Wilcox, a native of New York state. To this union have been born the following named children: Ainslie H.,

FRED ALLERS (1886), who, in partnership with his brother, William AUers, and his son, Edward Allers, farms three quarters of a section of fine land in Sioux Valley township, ia a native of Meeklenberg, Germany, and was born February 24, 1848. His father, Fred Allers, was a miller in Germany and a farmer after he came to the new world. He died in Scott county, Iowa, January 9, 1887. The mother of our subject, Inger Allers, died in 1889, also in Scott county, Iowa.

Fred Allers of this sketch came to America with his parents in 1852 - when he was only four years of age. Upon their arrival in the United States they set out for the west and arrived in Chicago, beyond which railroads did not at the time extend. The family and Henry Knock, an uncle of our subject, who accompanied them, bought a team in Chicago and set out overland on a three hundred mile journey to Davenport, Iowa. On the trip they came upon only one settler, and when they arrived in Davenport they found it to be a little village of only three business houses.

Upon arriving in this new country the head of the family bought a forty acre tract of land situated one-half mile north of the present site of Walcott, Iowa, paying therefor one dollar per acre. On that farm, which was later increased to 240 acres, our subject grew to manhood. There were no schools in that pioneer country and the only schooling Fred Allers received was obtained one winter in the Davenport school when he was seventeen years of age. After growing up he engaged in farming on his own account.

It was on the first day of March, 1885, that Fred Allers, accompanied by his brother, William, arrived in Jackson county. For three years the brothers rented land in Sioux Valley township; then they bought the northwest quarter of section 25, in that township, which is still the home place. Later they bought other property until today they own 480 acres of choice land. When Edward Allers, the son of our subject, grew up he entered the partnership, and since then the three have conducted the farms in partnership. The land was all imimproved when they bought, excepting a house - 14x24 feet - on the home place and a little barn covered with hay. They have

Mr. Allers was married at Walcott, Iowa, February 2, 1873, to Catherina Stoltenberg, daughter of the late Jochim Stoltenberg. Mrs. AUers was bom in Holstein, Germany, September 1, 1844, and came to the United States in 1872. Two children were born to this union, as follows: Edward, bom December 6, 1873; Emelia, born July 22, 1875, died Febmary 22, 1879.

Mr. Allers is a member of the German Lutheran church of Sioux Valley township and of the Germania Verein. He was a director of school district No. 50 during the years 1888- 1891.

BEN J. TOLLEFSON (1871), who owns a forty acre timber tract on section 16, Belmont township, is an early day settler of Jackson county. He is a native of Norway and was born May 17, 1852, the son of Tolef and Aletta (Johnson) Tollefson. These parents came from Norway in 1865 and to Jackson county in 1871. The father of our subject homesteaded land in West Heron Lake township in 1875 and made his home there until his death, which occurred in 1885. The mother of our subject made -her home with Ben Tollefson until her death in August, 1903, aged eightyseven and one-half years. They were the parents of four children: Matt, of Jackson; John, who died in 1884; Helen (Mrs. Christian Olson), who died in 1906 at her home in Wisconsin; Ben J., of this sketch.

Ben Tollefson came to America with his parents in 1865, resided five years in Lafayette county, Wisconsin, a short time in Fillmore county, Minnesota, and accompanied his parents to Jackson county in 1871. He secured 120 acres of land on section 8, West Heron Lake township, where he resided until 1894. He then sold out and moved south, buying a farm in Oktibbeha county, Mississippi. He did not like the country and a year and a half later returned to Jackson county. He bought 86 acres of land adjoining the village of Jackson on the southeast, where he lived eight years. Disposing of that property, Mr. Tollefson bought the timber tract where he now resides, erected buildings thereon and moved onto the place. He engages in farming

The gentleman whose name heads this biography was married in West Heron Lake township in June, 1879, to Inga Goplen, who was born in Allamakee county, Iowa, September 13, 1861, and who is the daughter of Nels Gopien. To Mr. and Mrs. Tollefson have been born the following named three children: Nettie (Mrs. Albert HoUeck), of Jackson, bom January 13, 1881; Alvin, who resides at home, born December 25, 1882; Elmer, of Minneapolis, born March 31, 1887,

Mr. Stone was married at Jackson August 20, 1885, to Anna Wells, a native of Sheboygan coimty, Wisconsin. Her father was Matt Sorenson. Her mother dying when she was a child seven years of age, she was adopted into a family named Wells and took that name. To Mr. and Mrs. Stone have been born the following named children: J. D., D. D., C. Leroy, Nina L,, Earl, Myron H., Kate, Peter, Mae, Horace. Mr. Stone is a member of the M. B. A. lodge. His wife is a member of the Methodist church and of the Royal Neighbors lodge.

HENRY P. STONE (1880) has resided in Jackson county twenty-nine years. He is an auctioneer and makes his home in T^keiield. He is a native of Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and was born February 25, 1860, being one of a family of six children bom to J. D. and Julia M. (Smith) Stone. Both parents were born in Connecticut and were of colonial stock, the father being of German extraction, the mother of English.

J. D. Stone, the father of our subject, moved from Connecticut to Pennsylvania when he was twenty -three years of age and for ten years held a government position in the national capitol building at Washington, his family during this time residing in Tioga county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Stone was in the Ford theater at Washington the night President . Lincoln was assassinated. He moved to Wisconsin in 1872, bought land and farmed until 1883. That year he moved to Jackson county, engaged in farming until 1889, when he moved to Lakefield and engaged in the hotel business. He died at Lakefield in 1889; his wife died in 1897.

Henry P. Stone, of this sketch, moved with his parents from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin when a boy. There he resided, working on his father's farm, imtil 1880. That year he came to Jackson county, bought land in Wisconsin township, and engaged in farming on his own account. He left the farm in the fall of 1885 and moved to Lakefield, and that village has since been his home. After the death of his father in 1889 he conducted the hotel for a number of years, and since that time has been engaged in dealing in horses, farming and crying public sales. He first took up the auc-

EDWARD A. BOEHL (1887) is the proprietor of the livery bam and of the dray line at Alpha. He is a native of Monee, Will county, Illinois, and his parents were August and Wilhelmina Boehl, both deceased.

Mr. Boehl lived in Will county, Illinois, until he was twenty-seven years of age. Fifteen years of this time he engaged in threshing during the seasons and for fourteen years engaged in stockraising. He arrived in Jackson county March 12, 1887, and has ever since made his home there. During the first twelve years he resided in Jackson, during all of which time he was engaged in the threshing business. For three years he also engaged in farming and from 1890 to 1899 conducted a dray line. Mr. Boehl moved to Alpha in the spring of 1899, and has since been engaged in farming, teaming and threshing. In the fall of 1908 he and his son^ Eddy, purchased the livery, dray and feed business of C. J. Swenson. Besides the business enterprises mentioned Mr. Boehl owns stock in the Farmers' elevator company of Alpha.

Mr. Boehl owns property in the village of Alpha. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the M. B. lodge of Alpha. He served four years as chairman of the board of supervisors of Wisconsin township, was a member of the Alpha village council two years and was village treasurer three years. He was also chief of the Alpha fire department three years.

Mr. Boehl was married February 12, 1887, to Miss Emma Bohlander. To them have been born the following children: Francelia, born March 24, 1890; Eddy H., born January 16,

L. KUMMETH (1887) is one of the large land owners and successful farmers of Alba township. He owns a section of land in one body and farms it all.

Mr. Kummeth is a native of Balvia, Bayem, Germany, and was born January 15, 1851, the 8on of George and Geneiva (Wagner) Kummeth. His father, who was a mason by trade, died in Germany about twenty -five years ago, aged 85 years. His mother died in Germany ten years ago, aged 80 years.

Our subject spent the first twenty-two years of his life in his native land. He was brought up in the village of Hansen and was educated in the common schools. At the age of fourteen years he began working at the mason's trade, and during the remainder of the time he lived in the old country he followed that trade during the summer months, working as a wood chopper during the winter months. During the month of May, 1873, Mr. Kummeth came to the United States. He spent the first year in New York city, working for a second band lumber company, tearing down old buildings. After one year spent in the metropolis he moved to Lake county, Hlinois, where he resided thirteen years. During the first seven years of this time he worked as a farm hand; the last six he was engaged in farnnng on rented land.

In the fall of 1887 Mr. Kummeth came to Jackson county and located upon an eighty acre farm on section 10, Ewington township, which he had bought the year before, and started farming. When he arrived in the county he had a team and wagon and just enough money to build a little house and shed. He borrowed money to buy feed for his horses and food for his family, paying twenty-four per cent interest, having raised no crop during the first three years of his residence in the county. Later he came upon better times and has prospered. He lived on the Ewington township farm eight years, during which time he increased it by the purchase of an additional eighty acres.

In 1895 Mr. Kummeth traded his Ewington township farm for the quarter section of land on section 14, Alba, now the home place, and has ever since resided on it. At the time of making the trade the only improvements were a small house and barn. He now has a fine home and well improved farm. He bought the southeast quarter of section 10 in 1899 and the south half of section 11 in the fall of 1909.

Mr. Kummeth has taken an active part in the affairs of his community and has several times been called upon to serve in an official capacity. He was a member of the Alba township board twelve years and during two years of that time was chairman of the board. He is clerk of school district No. 102 and has serred in that capacity twelve years. He and his family are members of the Catholic church of Heron Lake.

In Lake county, Illinois, in February, 1882, Mr. Kummeth was united in marriage to Walpurge Isele, who was bom in Balvia, Bayem, Germany, and who came to the United States in 1881. To these parents have been bom the following named five children: Annie, Frank, Barbara, Lawrence and Greorge, all living at home.

FRANK J. APPEL (1874), agent for the Hamm Brewing company, resides at Heron Lake, in the vicinity of which town he has lived since he was eleven years of age. He is an Austrian by birth and was bom June 29, 1863. He is the son of the late Thomas Appel and Tracy (Hager) Appel, who came from Austria in 1874 and settled in LaOosse township. Thomas Appel homesteaded the south half of the southeast quarter of section 8, and upon that place the family resided until 1904, when they moved to Heron Lake. There our subject's father died on August 12, 1907, at the age of 78 years, and there his mother, who is now 70 years of age, resides. Frank is next to the eldest of a family of seven children, all of whom are living. They are John, Frank, Fred, Louis, Joseph, Vincent and William.

Coming to America with his parents in 1874, Frank lived on the home farm imtil 1889, attending the country schools and assisting with the farm work. Then he married, bought the northwest quarter of section 16, LaCrosse township, and engaged in farming for nine years. He conducted a saloon in Kinbrae one year and then, in 1899, located in Heron Lake. Starting a saloon at the time he located In the village Mr. Appel conducted it until the spring of 1909, when he sold to Barney Grave.

Paul H. Berge

He has been the local representative of the Hamm Brewing company ever since he located in Heion Lake. In connection with his saloon business Mr Appel was engaged in the implement business four years, selling out in the fall of 1906.

Our subject was married in Heron Lake September 21, 1889, to Agnes Hager, a native of Austria and a daughter of Frank Hager, a former resident of LaCrosse township, now living at Princeton, Minnesota. To Mr. and Mrs. Appel have been born the following seven children: Hilda, Kda, John, Alma, Elsie, Agnes, Raymond.

The family are members of the Catholic church and Mr. Appel belongs to the Catholic Order of Foresters. While a resident of the country Mr. Appel served five years as township clerk and the same length of time as justice of the peace.

PAUL H. BERGE (1878), president of the P. H. Berge Company (incorporated) of Jackson, is one of the pioneer merchants of the county seat village. He is a native of Rock county, Wisconsin, where he' was bom February 28^ 1852, the son of H. H. and Annie (Sanden) Berge.

In his native county Paul H. Berge received his education, completing it with a two years' course in Beloit college. In 1874, at the age of twenty- two years, he came to Minnesota and located in the little village of Windom, where for two and one-half years he was engaged in the butter business. Returning at the end of that time to liis old home, he spent the next two and one-half years clerking in a store.

In .September, 1878, just before the arrival of the railroad to Jackson, Mr. Berge came to that town and bought an interest in the mercantile establisliment of Strong Brothers, the firm name then becoming Strong Brothers & Berge. Two years later Strong Brothers withdrew from the firm and thereafter for twentythree years the establishment was conducted under the name of Berge Brothers, H. H. Berge, Jr., a brother of our subject, being the junior member. P. H. Berge bought out his brother's interest in 1904 and conducted the store alone for two years. Two years after the last change noted the P. H. Berge Company, with a capital stock of $20,000, was incorporated. Of this company the following

Besides the P. H. Berge Company Mr. Berge has other business interests. He is vice president of the First National Bank of Jackson, has stock in the First National Bank of Heron Lake and has an interest in a lumber firm in the state of Washington. In a political way he has served in various capacities. He was chairman of the board of county commissioners six years, was a member of the local board of education twelve years, six years as president and six years as secretary, and was president of the village coimcil the second year after incorporation. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and of the I. 0. O. F. and A. 0. U. W. lodges.

Mr. Berge was married in Belmont township in November, 1881, to Lena Olson. To this union eight children have been born, as follows: Herbert J., Oscar B., Parker L., Amy A., Irene Luella, Hazel Aliouse, Catherine (died at the age of one year), Nellie E. (Mc- Namara), who died August 6, 1908, at Alexandria, Minnesota.

SHERRILL BUSHNELL (1885) is a Des Moines township farmer whose place is on section 14, a short distance north of the village of Jackson. He is a native of Lisbon, Kendall county, Illinois, and was born November 24, 1858, the son of Joseph and Elenora (Cobley) Bushnell, now residents of Jackson.

The father of our subject was born in New York state, came west in an early day and settled in Illinois. He located in- Jackson in 1885, bought the farm upon which his son now resides in 1886, and has ever since been a resident of the county. His wife was born in Vermont. They are the parents of three children: Jackson, of Kansas City, Kansas; Edith (Mrs. Jabe Norman), of Denver, Colorado; Sherrill, of this sketch.

Sherrill lived in his native county until twelve years of age. Then he moved to Ford county, Illinois, where he attended school and engaged in farm work imtil he came to Jackson county in 1885. During the first four years of his residence in the county he lived in Jackson and worked on his father*s farm north of the village. He spent one year at lona Lake, one year in Jackson, and then located on his father's farm, where he has since

Mr. Bushnell was married in Jackson March 30, 1887, to Annie Davis, daughter of Joseph and Caroline (Farrar) Davis and a native of Maine. Mr. and Mrs. Bushnell are the parents of eight children, as follows: Horace, born January 22, 1889; Andrew, born May 31, 1891; Wallace, born November 5, 1893; Kdith, born February 2, 1896; Lillian F., born May 16, 1898; Gordon, bom September 12, 1900; Grace, born October 29, 1902; Edwin W., born July 26, 1907.

JAMES M. DALZIEL (1883), a farmer of Weimer township residing on the bank of Heron lake a short distance southeast of the village of the same name, has resided in the county since he was a child. His farm constitutes one of the best game preserves on the lake and he has leased the hunting rights to a Minneapolis club of fifteen members for a term of ten years.

Mr. Dalziel was bom near the city of Glasgow, Scotland, on April 28, 1876. His father died when he was one year of age and in 1883 he accompanied his mother to America, the family consisting of three children. The family home was made on the southwest quarter of section 28, Weimer township, and on that farm James has ever since resided. He has rented and conducted the farm for the past six years, the place being owned by his mother.

The mother of our subject, who now lives in Heron Lake, is deserving of a great deal of credit for the success she has made since coming to Jackson county. The trip across the water was made in the old steamer "Bolivia'* in a three weeks* trip, the boat being disabled. Mrs. Dalziel arrived in the country with her three children practically penniless, but by hard work and a determination to succeed she has secured .a competence for her later years. She owns village property in addition to the farm.

Our subject was married in Heron Lake May 16, 1899, to Stella Anderson, who was born in Illinois July 16, 1883. Three children have been born to this union: Willard, born December 15, 1904; Zola, Ijorn May 3, 1901, and baby boy, bom December 15, 1909. Mr. Dalziel is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the M. B. A. lodge.

OLE A AS (1872) is a farmer and thresherman who owns 180 acres of land on sections 4 and 9, Belmont township. He is the younger of two sons born to Ole A. and Carolina (Lilleberg) Aas. His parents were born in Norway and came to America before their marriage, becoming early settlers of Jackson county. The father died in Jackson in 1906, aged 80 vears; the mother now lives in Jackson and is 77 years of age.

To these parents Ole Aas was bom on thi» Belmont township farm February 13, 1872. There he received his education and there he has ever since lived. Until his father moved to Jackson in 1901 Ole worked on the home farm; then he began farming it on his own account, and after his father's death in 1900 he fell heir to the property. He farms the whole 180 acres and for the past seven years has also been engaged in the threshing business. He is a member of the .Norwegian Lutheran church.

Mr. Aas was married in the county - in October, 1901, to Grace Amston, who was bora in Norway and came to the United States when one year of age. She is the daughter of Olof Amston, of Belmont. Two children have been bom to Mr. and Mrs. Aad, as follows: Orville and Gladys.

DAVID CRAWFORD (1886) is the member of the board of coimty commissioners from the third district and resides at Lakefield During a residence of over twenty years in the county he has taken an active part in its political and general history. He was born at Woodside, West Kilbride, Ayrshire, Scot land, August 6, 1860, the son of David and Jennie (Hannah) Crawford.

David Crawford received his education and spent his early years in his native country. He came to America in 1880 and located in Canada, where he lived six years, engaged in different lines of business. In October, 1886, he became a resident of Jackson county, locating in Heron Lake and buying a half interest in a meat market there. One year later he sold out and moved to Lakefield, started the first livery bam in the village, and that has been his home ever since. He continued in the livery business seven years, then sold out, and has since been engaged in several different lines of endeavor, for several years being engaged in the grain business. Mr.

Crawford was elected county commissioner in 1896, was reelected in 1900 and again in 1904 and 1908, having a continuous service of over twelve years to his credit. His present term expires January 1, 1913. Besides the county office, he j»er\'ed four years as president of the Lakefield village council.^

June 1, 1898, Mr. Crawford was united in marriage to Miss Ella Thompson. To them have l#en born three children: Elsie, Maurice and Clarence.

JOHN ENGEL (1890) is a prosperous farmer and stock raiser of Sioux Valley township, where he owns a 240 acre farm. He is a native of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and was bom May 1, 1865. His father, Hans Hanson Engel, died in Germany in 1895, aged 61 years. His mother, Helen (Petersen) Engel, died in Germany in 1870.

John was brought up and educated in a farming community and spent the first seventeen years of his life in his native land, working out on a farm during the last two years there. In 1882 he came to ^America and located in Benton county, Iowa, where he lived eight years, working as a farm hand. In March, 1890, Mr. Engel came to Jackson county and located upon his present farm, which he had bought in 1885. The place was then raw prairie, and the present improvements are all the result of his labors. Mr. Engel raises stock quite extensively and he has prospered since locating in Jackson county.

Mr. Engel has often been called upon to serve in an official capacity. He is clerk of his township and has held the office for the last nine vears. He is also a director of school district No. 50 and with the exception of two or three years has served as such since 1891. He was township assessor three years and a member of the board of supervisors two vears. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. lodge of Lake Park.