Jackson County, Minnesota - Biographical sketches, 1910 (part 6 of 13)

In 1883 Mr. Swenson had purchased his quarter section farm in Petersburg township, Jackson county, and on March 4, 1884, came to the county to make his future home. There he lived, engaged in farming and contracting until his death, which occurred August 22, 1895, as a result of blood poisoning. He was one of the organizers of school district No. 78 and for ten years held the office of treasurer of the district. He was a member of the Swedish Lutheran church.

Mr. Swenson was married in Rockford, Illinois, October 17, 1881, to Ingar Nelson. Mrs. Swenson was born in Malmo, Sweden, December 3, 1850, the daughter of Sven and Ellen Nelson. She came to the United States and settled at Rockford, Illinois, on May 16, 1881. To Mr. and Mrs. Swenson were born the following named children: Anna C, born August 17, 1882, died October 2, 1882; Carl J., born August 30, 1883; Aaron H., born August 27, 1885; Olof R., born October 7, 1887; Ida M., born December 5, 1889; Enock E., born December 6, 1891.

J. B. ARP (1885), superintendent of schools of Jackson county, since securing his education has devoted his life to educational work. He is a German by birth and was born at Wendtorf, near the city of Kiel, November 13, 1869, the son of Claus and Margarethe (Wellendorf) Ai*p.

When the subject of this review was fourteen years of age the family emigrated to America and located at Rock Island, Hlinois, and one year later, on March 16, 1885, arrived in Jackson county. J. B. Arp received his elementary education in Germany and after arriving in Jackson county attended the district schools, making his home with his parents in Petersburg township. In 1892 Mr. Arp became a student at tlie Breck school at Wilder and was graduated from that institution in 1895. During his last year in that school he

After his graduation from the Breck school Mr. Arp took a position as principal of the public school at Morton, Renville county, Minnesota, which he conducted two years. In 1898 he became the principal of the schools at Morgan, Redwood county, and in 1901 was chosen superintendent of the high school at Breckenridge. Professor Arp was called to Jackson in 1903 to accept the position of superintendent of the Jackson high school and was at the head of that school three years. He was elected county superintendent of schools of Jackson county in the fall of 1906 and was reelected in 1908. Professor Arp owns his home in the city. He is a member of the Presbyterian church.

On August 20, 1895, at Estherville, Iowa, Professor Arp was married to Miss Edna Middaugh, and to this union have been born the following named children: Bessie M., bom June 20, 1896; Harry E., born February 24, 1898, Mildred M., born June 12, 1900; Gladys L., born September 16, 1904.

HERMAN H. PETERS (1889), farmer and land owner of Sioux Valley township, was born in Germany November 11, 1873, the son of Nicholas and Weipke Peters, now residents of Lake Park, Iowa, they having retired from the farm in the spring of 1906. Nicholas Peters is one of the county's large land owners, having 1,000 acres in Sioux Valley and Rost townships. Herman is the second child of a family of eight.

Our subject accompanied his parents from Germany to the new world when he was eight years of age. The family lived in Davenport, Iowa, one vear and then located in Rock Island, Illinois. Herman attended school in the latter city and at the age of ten years began working as a water boy, carrying water to the lumbermen. After being so employed two years he took a position hauling lumber and was so engaged three years. He came to Jackson county with the family in 1889 and until he was twenty-six years of age worked for his father on the farm in Sioux Valley township. Then he married and moved to his own farm, the northwest quarter of section 8, where he has since lived. He has made all the improvements on the place and has an elegant home and an up-to-date farm. He has

Mr. Peters was united in marriage to Louisa Sehwager in Sioux Valley township February 28, 1900. She was bom in Scott county, Jowa, November 15, 1875, and is the daughter of Jurgen Sehwager, one of the prosperous farmers of the township. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Peters, as follows: Elva, born October 12, 1902; Sadie, born April 3, 1905; Mabel, born March 20, 1907. Another child named Sophia died in infancy.

ALBERT W. WARD (1886) owns and farms a half section of land in West Heron Lake township, midway between Lakefield and Okabena. He is a native of Cattaraugus county, New York, and was born June 7, 1858. His parents were Luther and Mary J. (Ward) Ward, also natives of the Empire state, who resided there until they moved to Martin county, Minnesota, in 1871. Mr. Ward, senior, was a stone mason by trade, and worked at his trade in Fairmont until his death, which occurred September 18, 1893, at the age of 67 years. His wife died December 23, 1898, aged 69 years.

Albert attended the school of his native county and resided on his parents' farm until he was thirteen years of age. He then accompanied the family to Martin county, lived with them on the farm two years, and then in Fairmont. After a residence of several years in the county seat town, Albert went to Sherburn and began working for the Milr waukee railroad company, holding the position of section foreman until 1886. That year he moved to Lakefield and for the next five years was foreman of the section at that point. In 1891 he bought the southwest quarter of section 22, West Heron Lake township, and began farming, and he has followed that occupation ever since. When he bought the farm only a limited area had been put under cultivation and the only building on it was a little claim shanty. Later Mr. Ward bought the northwest quarter of section 27, adjoining, and now farms a half section.

Mr. Ward was married at Fairmont July 4, 1883, to Loist M. Wood, who was bom in Stark county, Illinois, October 20, 1864. To ;Mr. and Mrs. Ward have been born four children, as follows: Montie L., bom May 10, 1884; Elmer L., born November 9, 1889; George B., born January 1, 1893; Charles H., born January 8, 1902.

Mr. Ward has held various offices of trust within the gift of the people of his precinct. He was chairman of the board of supervisors four years, township treasurer one year, and clerk of school district No. 90 for ten years.

PETER HANSEN (1886) is the proprietor of one of Jackson's department stores. In addition to managing that business he engages in the real estate business and looks after his farms, being the owner of four hundred acres of land on sections 4^ 5 and 7, Enterprise township. Mr. Hansen was born in Denmark November 29, 1861, the son of Hans Peterson and Marion (Larson) Peterson.

Both his parents died in Denmark and from the time Peter Hansen was eleven years of age he made his own way in the world. He spent his boyhood days in his native land, attending school and working for wages. At the age of nineteen years, in the spring of 1880, he came to America and located in Mc- Ilenry county, Illinois. Three years later he moved to Cliicago, and in that city he resided until his arrival in Jackson county, in the spring of 1886. The year before his arrival Mr. Hansen had purchased the southeast quarter of section 12, Wisconsin township, and when he arrived he located upon that property. He engaged in farming there five years and then moved to Jackson.

Mr, Hansen at once engaged in the mercantile business in a small way in a little building where the Olsen saloon is now located. His business increased and in 1896 he erected his present handsome store building, in which he conducts his large and increasing business. For nine years Mr. Hansen served as a member of the Jackson board of education. He is a member of the K. P. and M. W. A. lodges.

On May 10, 1885, in Cook county, Illinois, Mr. Hansen was united in marriage to Laurine Larson, also a native of Denmark. To Mr. and Mrs. Hansen have been born seven children. The eldest daughter, Mamie, died in February, 1907. Those living are Henry 0., of

Albert Lea; Raymond P., a student at a Mankato school; Lawrence C, a school teacher of Des Moines township; Mabel L., a student in the Jackson high school; Dallas and Arthur, twins.

JOHN G. GRADY (1889) owns and farms the northeast quarter of section 18, Ewington township, upon which farm he has lived over twenty years. Mr. Grady is a native of Freeport, Illinois, and was v born July 4, 1856. At the age of eight years he accompanied his parents to Grundy county, Iowa, and when twelve years of age started in life for himself.

Until his marriage in 1884 Mr. Grady worked on farms and at other occupations in different counties of Iowa. Then he engaged in farming in Blackhawk county, where he resided five years. He came to Jackson county in 1889 and rented the farm he now owns. Five years later he bought the place and has ever since made his home there.

The parents of our subject were Michael and Rosa Grady, who were bom in Ireland and who came to America soon after their marriage. They lived in Chicago a short time and then moved to Freeport, Illinois, where our subject was born and where Mrs. Grady died. Mr. Grady moved to Iowa and later to Chicago, where he died. John is the youngest of five children who are living. The other members of the family are Rose (Mrs. Thomas Cannon), who now lives in Chicago and whose husband, a merchant police, was killed in the Hay market riots; Peter, of Chicago; Winnifred (Mrs. W. Trost), of Chicago; Katie (Mrs. John Bradshaw), of Chicago.

John Grady was married at Independence, Iowa, February 25, 1884, to Julia Ellen Stevens, who was born at Meriden, Connecticut, March 8, 1854. She is of English descent, her grandparents having come from England. She is the daughter of Lucian and Julia R. (Hill) Stevens, natives of Waterford, Vermont. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Grady, as follows: Julia R., born April 2, 1885; William A., born November 28, 1886; Jesse A., born July 1, 1888; Lulu E., bom September 13, 1890; Royal J., born January 28, 1892; Edna G., born November 22, 1894; Ralph G., born May 1, 1898, died October 1, 1905.

MATHIAS NIELSEN (1884), Middletown township farmer, was bom in the city of Brooklyn, New York, October 16, 1877, the son of Soren and Mette M. (Thusen) Nielsen. His parents came from Denmark in the early seventies. Mathias is one of a family of six children born to this union, of whom only two besides himself - Carrie (Mrs. H. Sauridsen) and Mettie (Mrs. H. Olsen) - are living. Their father died July 27, 1909; the mother makes her home with her son, Mathias Nielsen.

The first four years of the life of our subject were passed in his native city and the next three in Omaha, Nebraska. He accompanied his parents to Jackson county in 1884 and until he was twenty- two years of age resided with his parents on the farm in Petersburg township. He then engaged in farming for himself in Petersburg six years and the next three years farmed a place in Des Moines township. In 1908 he rented the J. A. Sayles farm, the southeast quarter of section 8, Middletown, and has since resided there.

Mr. Nielsen was married in Petersburg township December 29, 1897, to Mary E. Baumgard, a native of Denmark and a daughter of Hans and Sina P. Baumgard. Her mother died December 17, 1901, her father lives in South Dakota. Three children have been bom to Mr. and Mrs. Nielsen; Leonard H., born April 10, 1902; Murrel S., bom February 15, 1907, and a baby girl, born June 22, 1909.

FRED S. C. AHRENS (1889), until recently a hardware merchant and manager of the Western Implement company's business at Okabena, is now engaged in the hardware business at Brewster. He is a native of Germany and was bom May 23, 1870, the son of Christ and Wilhelmina (Mundt) Ahrens.

Fred came to America with his parents in 1880 and located in Will county, Illinois. On the first day of March, 1889, he arrived in Jackson county and this was his home tintil July, 1909. Until 1893 he lived with his parents on the farm in West Heron Lake township, one and one-half miles south of Okabena. That year he bought a farm in the same pre- cinct, and for ten years engaged in farming. In 1902 he located at Okabena and in partnership with several others he engaged in the hardware business. He was one of the organizers of the Western Implement company, which was organized January 28, 1904, and began business March 1 following. The house at Okabena was established at that time. In addition to his business interests, Mr. Ahrens owns a quarter section of land in West Heron Lake township and village property. He is a member of the German Lutheran church and was township assessor five years.

Mr. Ahrens was married at Lakefield July 9, 1892, to Miss Sophia Sievert. They are the parents of the following named children: Rosa, bom June 26, 1893; Bertha, born October 29, 1895; Alma, bom March 3, 1897; Anna, born January 11, 1898; Albert, born December 9, 1903.

ADOLPH J. NESTRUD (1881), cashier of the First National Bank of Lakefield, is a native of Jackson county, having been born on his father's farm in Heron Lake township October 14, 1881. He is one of a family of fourteen living children and is a son of John and Marie (Pederson) Nestrud, of Heron Lake township.

Both his parents were born in Norway, but came to the United States in their childhood days and were married in Jackson county, to which place they came in the early seventies. The father of our subject took a homestead claim in Heron Lake township and has ever since made his home there.

Adolph grew to manhood on his father's farm, assisting with the farm work and attending the country school until twenty years of age. He then took a business course in Jewell Lutheran college, of Jewell, Iowa. Returning to his old home, Mr. Nestrud resided on the farm a short time and then he and his sister conducted a restaurant in Lakefield for a little over a year. Disposing of his business, he returned to the farm, and a year later moved to Jackson to accept a position as deputy register of deeds under the administration of O. J. Wagnild. He held the position a little over two years and then returned to Lakefield, where he took a position as bookkeeper in the First National Bank. Ten months later he was elected cashier, a position he still holds.

Mr. Nestrud was married at Dell Rapids, South Dakota, June 7, 1906, to Carrie Mahre, who was born in Minnehaha county. South Dakota, and who was a school teacher. Oufi child has been born to this union, Inez Adelade. Mr. and Mrs. Nestrud are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

HENRY ROSSOW (1874) is a stock raiser and farmer of Delafield township, owning 320 acres of land on section 35. He is a native of the county, having been born in Heron Lake township November 8, 1874, the son of William and Alvina (Pietz) Rosso w. His father, a native of Germany, died in Jackson county when Henry was five years of age. His mother, now Mrs. Dan Kolander, lives in Heron Lake township.

Henry gi-ew to manhood on his stepfather's farm in Heron Lake township and was educated in the district schools and in the Breck school at Wilder. After growing up he engaged in farming the old home place in his native township in partnership with his stepfather, Dan Kolander, and this arrangement continued until the year 1900. Then he moved onto his present farm, which he and Mr. Kolander had purchased in 1897. In 1900 Mr. Rossow bought Mr. Kolander's interest in the farm and has since been the sole, owner.

Mr. Rossow is interested in many lines of business in addition to his farming and stockraising. He has stock in the First National Bank, the Farmers Elevator company and the Jackson County Cooperative company, all of Lakefield, in the Farmers Elevator company of Windom, in the East Heron Lake Creamery company, of which he is secretary; and in a threshing company. One year he served as treasurer of the Delafield Fire Insurance company. In local politics he has also taken an. active part. He was chairman of the Delafield township board of supervisors five or six years and served as a member of the board two years in addition. He was assessor of Heron Lake township in 1897 and 1898, and he is now a director of school district No. 70. He is a member of the German Lutheran church of Heron Lake township.

In the township of Delafield, in 1899, Mr. Rossow was united in marriage to Annie Hohenstein, who was born in Delafield township and who is a daughter of Henry Hohenstein. To this union have been born seven children,

JAMES C. CALDWEIX (1899) is the president of the First National Bank of Lakefield and is interested in several other lines of business in that village. He is a native of Columbia county, Wisconsin, and was born June 22, 1864. His parents, John and Esther (Mackay) Caldwell, were born near the city of Glasgow, Scotland. They came ta the United States and to Columbia county, Wisconsin, in 1854, where they lived on a farm until their death. John Caldwell died in May, 1878, aged 76 years; his wife died in 1897, aged 76 years.

Our subject resided on the farm with his parents until he was 28 years of age. He received a high school education and early in life engaged in teaching, which he followed in his native county eight years. At the age of 28, in the spring of 1892, Mr. Caldwell married and moved to Dane county, Wisconsin. Near the town of Morrisonville^he bought a farm, which he conducted until his removal to Jackson county in 1899.

Upon his arrival Mr. Caldwell bought a farm in Heron Lake township and engaged in farming until 1903. That year he moved to Lakefield and engaged in the real estate business. In 1906 he was chosen president of the First National Bank and has since presided over that ' financial institution, devoting his entire time to its management.

Mr. Caldwell is a firm believer in the principles of cooperation and has put his ideals into successful practice in Lakefield. Largely through his efforts the bank stock was disposed of to farmers, so that now the bank is practically a farmers bank. To his efforts is also due the organization and success of the Lakefield Farmers Cooperative Elevator company, which was incorporated for $50,000 on November 4, 1905, and of which he is the secretary. Mr. Caldw^ell is also president of, and was instrumental in organizing, the Jackson Cooperative company, a corporation organized for handling general merchandise. This company has a paid up capital of $20,000.

Mair, a daughter of Andrew I^ir, a native of Scotland and a large land owner of Columbia county, Wisconsin, where he now resides. To Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell have been bom two children, Bessie R. and Esther May. The family are members of the Presbyterian church.

HENRY M. MILLER (1872) has spent his entire life of nearly thirty-eight years in Delafield township, having been bom on his father's homestead - the northeast quarter of section 22 - on the third day of May, 1872. His father, Charles H. Miller, now a resident of Windom, was born in Sweden, came to America when a young man and homesteaded in Delafield township, Jackson county, in 1871. The mother of our subject was Sarah L. (Michaelson) Miller, who was a native of Wisconsin and who died in 1906 at the age of fifty-five years. Our subject was the eldest of a family of seven children, named as follows: Henry M., Martha, Ida, John, Albert, Emma and Oscar (deceased.)

Until he was twenty-one years of age Henry worked for his father on the old homestead. During this time he received a country school education. When he reached his majority he rented land on section 15 and engaged in farming on his own account. In 1896 he bought the 120 acre farm on section 15, then entirely unimproved, erected the buildings, set out the grove, fenced the land, and made all the improvements the farm now contains.

Mr. Miller is a man of family, having been married in Delafield township October 25, 1894, to Julia Tobiason, who was bom in Christiania township March 2, 1874. She is the daughter of Anders and Olena (Anderson) Tobiason. To Mr. and Mrs. Miller have been born the following named children: Lilly, born October 9, 1895; Mabel, bom April 1, 1897; Alma, born April 15, 1900; Minnie, bom April 19, 1903; Hazel, born June 23, 1904.

JOHN SMITH (1886) is a farmer and land owner of Kimball township and has resided in Jackson county nearly a quarter of a century. He is a native of Monroe county, New York, and was born June 5, 1865, the son of Fred and Mary (Groth) Smith, both natives of Germany, he having been born in Mecklenberg and she in Prussia. They came to America in 1863 and after living in the £mpire state nineteen years came to Minnesota and died in Middle town township, Jackson county. They were the parents of six children, of whom the following three are living: Minnie, who lives in New York state; Fred, of Des Moines township; and John, of this sketch.

John spent the first twenty years of his life in his native county, attending school and working at various occupations. He came to Jackson county in 1885 and for thirteen years lived on a farm in Middletown township. Then he moved to Kimball township, where he engaged in farming rented land until October, 1909i At that time he moved onto his present farm, which he had bought the spring before. Uis farm is the south half of the southwest quarter of section 32. On August 13] 1901, Mr. Smith lost his right arm as a result of a runaway accident. The arm was caught in a wagon spring and literally torn off at the elbow. «

Mr. Smith was married in Middletown township October 17, 1891, to Mrs. Lena Hamp, a r.ative of Prussia. To them has been bom one child, Albert, bom October 22, 1892. By a former marriage Mrs. Smith is the mother of five children: Will, bom May 9, 1879; August, born April 3, 1881; Freda, bom November 24, 1882; Herauin, born November 14, 1887; Emqia, born November 14, 1887. The family are members of the German Lutheran church.

VERNON E. BUTLER (1891), secretary and treasurer of the Benson Grain company of Heron Lake, and ex-auditor of Jackson county, is one of the leading business men of Heron Lake. He descends from colonial stock and pioneers of the west. His grandfather, Willis R. Butler, a native of Virginia, settled in Iowa in territorial days and became very wealthy, owning many thousands of acres of land. Butler county, Iowa, was named in his honor.

The parents of our subject are the late James Butler and Margaret (Bonwell) Butler. James Butler was bom in Coshocton, Ohio. He located in Iowa when a young man and from that state enlisted in company G, of the 32nd volunteer infantry, serving until seriously wounded, which necessitated his discharge. After the war he located in Butler county, where he engaged in the grain, stock and bank- ing business. He died September 23, 1880, at the age of 39 years. On his mother's side V. £. Butler descends from an old English family which aettled in Virginia and North Carolina in colonial days. Mrs. James Butler was born in Indiana, was married to Mr. Butler at Clarksville, Butler county, Iowa, and now makes her home with her son in Heron Lake. She is 68 years of age.

To these parents Vernon £. Butler was born in Butler township, Butler county, Iowa, on the 10th day of July, 1865. He received his education in that county and made his home with his parents until seventeen years of age. Then, being in poor health, he spent two years in Kansas and Colorado. Returning to Iowa, Mr. Butler located in Elma, Howard county, and at the age of nineteen years engaged in the hotel business, which he followed until 1889. That year he married and moved to Blue Earth City, engaging in the mercantile business in partnership with an uncle, A. Bonwell.

Mr. Butler sold out at Blue Earth City in the summer of 1691^ and on October 1, of that year, he moved to Heron Lake. He secured a' position as bookkeeper for J. W. Benson in that gentleman's general store, at which work he was employed several years. In 1894 Mr. Butler received the republican nomination for county auditor, but was defeated at the election by 32 votes. He made the race again in 1896 and was elected by two votes. He was reelected in 1698 by over 800 plurality. His term of office expiring January 1, 1901, Mr. Butler, having refused to again become a candidate, retired to private life. That year he and J. W. Benson and F. S. Kingsbury organized and incorporated the Benson Grain company, Mr. Butl^ becoming secretary and treasurer. The company was first incorporated for $100,000 but later the capital stock was raised to $200,000 . It is the owner of twentytwo elevators and one floturing mill in Minnesota and northeastern Nebraska. In Febmary, 1906, Mr. Butler purchased the Kingsbury interests in this company.

In official life Mr. Butler has taken an active part and has held a number of local offices. He has served as a member of the Heron Lake' village council and has been president of that body. He holds the office of president of the board of education and has been a member of the board for five years. Mr. Butler affiliates with the Methodist Episcopal church.

Mr. Butler was married in Elkader, Clayton county, Iowa, June 20, 1889, to Bessie I. Fairfield, a native of Iowa. Her parents were natives of Massachusetts, settled at Niles, Indiana, and later in South Bend, Indiania, where her father died. Her mother is now 73 years of age and makes her home with her daughter in Heron Lake. To Mr. and Mrs. Butler have been born four children, as follows: James Arthur, Grace Gladys, George Vernon and Kenneth Alfred.

WILLIAM EGGESTEIN (1884), farmer and landowner of Middletown township, was born in Cook county, Illinois, December 4, 1856, the son of Christ and Ricka (Kosdorf) Eggestein. These parents were born in Germany and came to America when young, settling in Illinois. Mrs. Eggestein died there about 1880. Mr. Eggestein came to Jackson county and engaged in farming , in Petersburg township, where he died in 1899. William is the eldest of eight children, of whom six are living, as follows: William, Daniel, Benjamin, Sarah, Lydia and Emma.

William was brought up on a farm in Cook eounty, Illinois, and there he received his education. He resided with his parents until he was twenty- three years of age. Then he married and moved to Chicago, in which city he resided four years, two years of which time he was engaged in the wholesale hay business. He came to Jackson county in 1884, bought his present farm, the northeast quarter of section 35, Middletown, and that has since been his home. During his residence in that precinct Mr. Eggestein has held several oflficial positions. He served as chairman of the township board three years and was a member of the school board of district No. 23 for eighteen consecutive years. He is treasurer of the Middletown Telephone company. He and his family are members of the Evangelical Association.

Mr. Eggestein was married at Park Hidge, Cook county, Illinois, October 9, 1879, to Fredericka Eggestein, a native of Germany. To them have been born the following eight children: Ida, born August 19, 1880; Tilda, born October 17, 1882; William, bom March 11, 1884; Alvin, born March 10, 1886; Walter, born August 7, 1888; Edwin, born February 14,

JOHN HAGERSON (1879), grain buyer at Okabena, has been a resident of Jackson county since he was two years of age. He was bom in Goodhue county, Minnesota, October 14, 1877, the son of Edward £. and Ambuhe Berg. In April, 1879, the family located in Jackson county, and our subject lived in the village of Lakefield from the time of its founding until 1901. He bought grain at Granada one year, and since that time has been engaged in the same business at Okabena. Mr. Hagerson owns a quarter section of land in northern Minnesota. Ha is a member of the M. W. A. lodge.

HENRY TER HAAR (1899), sheriflf of Jackson county, was born in Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, March 23, 1868, the son of Herman J. and Jane (Ruseling) TerHaar. He received his education in Sheboygan county and resided there until twenty years of age.

He left home in 1888 and located at St. Croix, Wisconsin, where for the next five years he was employed in a creamery, making butter and cheese. In 1893 Mr. TerHaar made a trip to the west, visiting Montana, Idaho, Washington, Colorado and Utah. He returned and located temporarily at Alton, Iowa, and later at Luverne. In 1894 he moved to Edgerton, Minnesota, where for five years he was employed in a creamery. In January, 1899, he located in Heron Lake and for the next eight years sold groceries for John Saxton & Co., of Chicago.

Mr. TerHaar was elected sheriff of Jackson coimty on the democratic ticket in 1906 and was reelected in 1908. His present term expires January 1, 1911. He owns 320 acres of real estate in Hubbard county, Minnesota. He is a member of the Masonic and Knights of Pythias lodges.

Sheriff TerHaar has been married twice. His first marriage occurred at Baldwin, Wisconsin, February 15, 1890, when he wedded Jennie Demaster. He was married September 15, 1898, to Miss Rose Mulroy, of Adrian. To this union have been born two children: Bertha M., born September 26, 1899; Katherine, born November 29, 1902.

JOSEPH ITKOSICK (1891) is a farmer and land owner of Hunter township. He was bom in Austria in 1870, the son of John and Katie Ukosick. The former is dead; the latter is the wife of Albert Dunai.

Joseph was seventeen years of age when he came to America and located in New Haven county, Connecticut. The first three years of his life in the new world were spent working in a straw hat and matting factory; then he decided to come west. He came to Jackson county, lived here two months and then went to Chicago, where he was one year. Coming to Jackson county again in 1891 he located permanently. Until 1901 he engaged in farming rented land. Then he bought his present farm, the northwest quarter of section 32, Hunter township, and has since made his home there, making most of the improvements on his farm.

Mr. Ukosick was married in Jackson county in September, 1892, to Tessi Dunai, also a native of Austria. The following named seven children have been born to this union: Katie, born October 29, 1893; Frank, born March 13, 1895; Mary, born March 23, 1897; Annie, born May 18, 1898; Joseph, born August 14, 1899; Francie, bom October 20, 1902; Jacob, born July 22, 1905. The family are members of the Catholic church.

PETER D. McKELLAR (1886), county auditor of Jackson county, has resided in the county twenty- three years. He was born near the village of McGregor, Clayton county, Iowa, December 14, 1860, his parents being Archibald and Christine (Nelson) McKellar. The father died in 1903, aged 71 years; the mother lives in Heron Lake.

The subject of this biography was educated in the common schools of Clayton county, finishing his education with a course in the Bayless Business college of Dubuque, Iowa. Until he was twenty-six years of age he resided on the farm with his parents in Clayton county. He came with them to Jackson county in September, 1886, and for two years lived on the home farm in Alba township. Going then to Postville, Allamakee county, Iowa, he worked one year in the employ of an implement dealer and one season for the Warder-Bushnell & Glessner Harvester company.

in an elevator and then engaged in the implement business in that town in partnership with J. C. Buckeye, the firm name being P. D. McKellar and company. He sold out bis interests in the business in 1896 and until May, 1898, devoted his time to the well, pump and windmill business. During the season of 1898 he was in the employ of the J. I. Case Threshing Machine company, but during the season of 1899 and 1900 was again engaged in the well business. Mr. McKellar was elected county auditor in November, 1900, and the first of the following year entered upon his duties. He has since been elected every two years and 'his present term expires January 1, 1911. He held the office of township clerk of Alba township in 1887 and in 1894 was a member of the Heron Lake village council.

Mr. McKellar was married at Mankato December 17, 1900, to Amanda Veigel, a native of the city in which she was married. To them have been born three children, as follows: Pierre A., Jean and Margaret. He is a member of the Masonic Blue Lodge and Chapter and of the I. O. 0. F. and A. 0. U. W. lodges.

GEORGE H. SMITH (1887), teacher of the school in district No. 91, Ewington township, is one of the best known educators of western Jackson county and has devoted his entire life to educational work.

Mr. Smith was born in Phoenix, Michigan, April 25, 1866. When four years of age his parents moved to Dodgeville, Iowa county, Wisconsin, and in that town our subject grew to manhood and secured his early education. He was graduated from the Dodgeville . high school in 1886 and later took a course of study at the Iowa state normal school. Cedar Falls. He completed his education in the Cherokee (Iowa) Institute, from which he was graduated in 1891.

During the years Mr. Smith was securing his education he spent the summer months working on farms and teaching at intervals. He came to Jackson county in 1887 and for the last twenty years has been engaged in teaching school, having taught in Jackson county during the past fifteen years. He has had charge of the west school in district No. 91 for the last six years. Mr. Smith owns the northeast quarter of section 14, Ewington township, where he

Our subject is the youngest of a family of five children. His father, Mark Smith, was an Englishman by birth and a carpenter by trade. Ue came to the United States in 1865, lived in Michigan and Wisconsin, and finally located in Jackson county, Minnesota, where he died in 1908 at the age of 83 years. Our subject's mother was Thomasine Prideaux, who was bom and married in England. She died in Jackson county at the age of 74 years.

Mr. Smith was married in Cherokee county, Iowa, June 19, 1895, to Stella A. Smith, who was bom in Scott county, Iowa, in 1869» To this umon have been bom the following named children: Irene, Jennie, Paul, Clarence and Mildred. Mr. Smith is a member of the Evangelical Association church and is superintendent of the Sunday school of that society. He holds the office of clerk of the Ewington township board of supervisors.

JOHN HARM (1888) is a Belmont township farmer who owns the southwest quarter of section 23, upon which he has lived twentyone years. He is a native of Germany and was born August 17, 1854. His parents were Fred and Mary (Engelbrecht) Harm, and he is the only living child, a brother and sister, Fred and Reka, having died.

At the age of nine years, in 1863, John accompanied his parents to America and lived with them in Wheeling, Cook county, Illinois, until 1888. That year the family came to Jackson county and located upon the farm Mr. Harm now owns. He lived with his parents until their death^ which occurred fourteen years ago. He then fell heir to the farm and has since conducted it.

In Cook county, Illinois, in 1887, Mr. Harm was married to Dora Prihs, a native of Germany, and to them have been bom five children: Helen, Millie, Lizzie, Otto and Lillie. The family are members of the German Lutheran church. He served six years as a member of the township board and has been director of school district No. 79 for the past four years.

ADAM VOEHL (1896) , Rost township farmer, was bom in Kurfersten, Hessen, Germany, October 6, 1846, the son of John and Clara (Hellwel) VoehL His father, who was bom in 1802, died when Adam was six years old. His mother was bom June 14, 1814, and died in Illinois December 28, 1883.

Adam Voehl lived in Germany until nineteen years of age, receiving an education in the public schools and working on the farm. He came to the United States with a brother in 1867 and settled in Peru, Hlinois. There he worked out by the month at farm work six years. At the end of that time he moved to Iroquois county, Illinois, where he lived until coming to Jackson county in 1896. For many years he farmed a rented farm there and during the last eight years of his residence in Illinois owned real estate.

It was in February, 1896, that Mr. Voehl came to Jackson coimty to reside. Some little time before he had bought the west half of section 23, Rost township, and when he came it was upon that farm that he located. Six years after his arrival he bought the northwest quarter of section 26, %i the same township, both of which pieces of land he still owns. The farm was only partly improved wlien he bought it; today it is one of the fine farms of the township.

Mr. Voehl engages quite extensively in stockraising and has interests in the Rost creamery and the farmers elevator at Lakefield. He is a member of the Crerman Lutheran church of Rost township.

Mr. Voehl is a man of family, having been married at Buckley, Illinois, February 3, 1884, to Mary Poppentick, who was born in Illinois April 12, 1861. To these parents have been bom seven children, as follows: Clara (Mrs. Herman A. Rost), of Lakefield, born February 7, 1885; Lizzie, born March 17, 1887; John, bom January 24, 1889; Mary, bom March 10, 1891; Annie, bom April 19, 1893; Freda, born August 16, 1896; Willie, born March 23, 1899.

CHARLES MILLER (1887), who is the street commissioner of Heron Lake and who is employed in other official capacities connected with the management of municipal affairs, has resided in Heron Lake twenty-two years and has been a resident of southwestern Minnesota for a much longer period. Germany is the country of his nativity and the date of his birth was October 2, 1848. He accompanied his parents, Charles and Elizabeth Miller, to the new world in 1864, when he was only

Our subject was educated in Montgomer> county and when a boy began working at the milling business under his father's instruction. The flouring mill in which he learned his trade in Ohio was bought in 1873 by parties who moved it to Worthington, the new town founded by the National Colony company of Ohio. Mr. Miller assisted in moving the machinery to its new location and assisted in the reconstruction of the mill at Worthington. After it was put in nmning order he was retained as one of the millers in charge, and he was so employed imtil 1877.

That year Mr. Miller moved to Bingham Lake and in partnership with three others built a flouring mill, with which he was connected two years. SeUing out to his partners, he moved to Red River, North Dakota, and for a short time had charge of a flouring mill owned by the Hudson's Bay company. From that point he went to Rock Rapids, Iowa, and had charge of a mill until 1887. He then located in Heron Lake and in partnership with his father-in-law, John Behrenfeld, erected the flouring mill in that village. He was In charge of that mill until 1896 or 1897, when he sold out to Pitner & Lynch, who in turn sold to J. W. Morgan. The mill was burned down in recent years.

In 1901 Mr. Miller was made street commissioner of Heron Lake, a position he has held ever since. He also assists in managing the gas plant and has charge of the pumping , station and city hall. He is a member of the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and Woodmen lodges.

Mr. Miller was married in Montgomery county, Ohio, in the spring of 1872, to Annie Myers, of Dayton, Ohio. She died at Worthington in 1877, aged 27 years. The second marriage of Mr. Miller occurred at Worthington September 7, 1878, when he wedded Bertha Behrenfeld, a native of Carver county, Minnesota, and a daughter of John Behrenfeld. To this union have been born five children: Charles E., born April 2, 1884; Arthur B., born September 16, 1891; Herbert J., born November 17, 1894. Two children, Cora and Emma, died at early ages.

and resides upon the northwest quarter of section 25 and owns the southeast quarter of section 16. He was bom in Kolding, Denmark, July 19, 1848, the son of Hans P. and Anna M. (Bryda) Petersen.

Mr. Petersen first came to the United States in 1871 at the age of twenty-three years and spent two years in the new world. During this time he^ resided in various parts of the country - three months in Connecticut, five months in Chicago, three months in Clinton, Iowa, and one year in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He returned to Denmark in 1873, spent seven months there and on the ocean, and then, in 1874, again located in New Bedford, Massachusetts. One year later he went to Boston, where he resided six years.

In 1883 Mr. Petersen moved to Salem, Mas'* sachusetts, and six months later came west and located in Omaha. He remained there only two months, moving in July, 1883, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he lived four years. It was in April, 1887, that Mr. Petersen first came to Jackson county. After spending seven months there he returned to Milwaukee. Three and one-half years later he came fo the county to reside permanently, and he has ever since been engaged in farming his Petersburg township farm. Besides his farming operations, he is interested in the Petersburg Creamery association and the Jackson Telephone company. He served ten years as treasurer of his township and nine years as a member of the school board of the district in which he lives. He is a member of the Lutheran church and of the D. B. S. lodge, of Jackson.

Mr. Petersen was married May 15, 1883, to Miss Hansina Sorenson. They are the parents of three children, as follows: Henry P., born February 19, 1884; Annie M., born August 28, 1886; Arthur, born October 28, 1888.

The grandfather of our subject was a native of Pennsylvania and his grandmother of Ireland. His father was born in Pennsylvania November 26, 1828. In 1834 he moved to Ashland county, Ohio, where he engaged in farming. Nine years later he moved to Monroe county, Michigan, where he again engaged in

John Uptagrafft was born in Olmsted county, Minnesota, in 1857. When he was onlj six years old his parents took him to Spirit Lake, Iowa, near Orleans. His father lived here until his death in May, 1893. His mother lived with her children imtil her death in 1905 at tlie age of 92 years. John Uptagrafft lived at home until about nineteen years of age, spending his time during the winter months roaming over the southern part of Minnesota, trapping and hunting. He was unmolested, as there were no settlers for many miles around, the nearest railroad stations being Mankato, Minnesota; Fort Dodge, Iowa; and Sioux City, Iowa.

In the year 1878, on July 21, Mr. Uptagrafft was married to Miss Mary Etta Waite. He lived with his parents at Orleans, Iowa, until 1882, when he bought eighty acres of land in the northern part of Minneota township, Jackson county. He lived on this place until 1894, at which time he sold his home and bought 160 acres of his father-in-law, in Middletown - - the northwest quarter of section 32. On that place he now resides.

HERMAN L. STROM (1887); cashier of the Brown National Bank and ex-postmaster of Jackson, was born in Norway May 7, 1865. He is the son of Feodor and Elizabeth (Larson) Strom and is one of a family of five children, the others being Anna (Mrs. O. H. Smith), of Dell Rapids, South Dakota; Henrik, of St. Paul; Ellen (Mrs. C. C. Bratrud), of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Rebekka. The parents of our subject emigrated to America in 1879 and located at Decorah, Iowa. Later the family moved to LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and still later to Milwaukee, where the father of our subject had employment in the office of the Chicago, Milwaukee ^ St* Paul Railroad company. Mr. Strom died in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1897. His wife now resides in Des Moines, Iowa.

Herman came to the United States with his parents in 1879 and for two years lived with them in Decorah, Iowa, during which time he completed his education in the Lutheran college. In 1881 he went to LaOosse, where ^ for five years he was employed in a stationery store. He located in Jackson in 1887, was employed as clerk in Berge Brothers* store three years, and then entered the Bank of Jackson (now the Brown National Bank) as assistant cashier - a position he held for the next seven years.

Mr. Strom was appointed postmaster of Jackson November 1, 1897, and served until 1901, when he resigned to again take a position in the bank. He became cashier at that time and has ever since held that position. Mr. Strom owns Jackson village property and farm lands in this county and in northern Minnesota. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the Odd Fellows lodge.

At Jackson, in August, 1893, Mr. Strom was united in marriage to Emma G. Hill, a native of Minnesota and a daughter of Mrs. Catherine Hill, of Jackson. To Mr. and Mrs. Strom have been bom five children, as follows: Bradford H., Harold F., Henrik R., Elizabeth C. and Edward F.

OSCAR FOSS (1880) owns and farms a quarter section farm on section 18, Delafield, one mile south of the village of Wilder. He was bom on the farm which he now owns December 9, 1880, the son of L. A. and Anna Foss Furuseth, of the same precinct.

Oscar has spent his entire life on the farm he now conducts. He was educated in the Wilder public school and until he reached his majority worked for his father. Then he rented the home farm and conducted it on shares with his brother until March, 1908. At that time he bought the property from his father. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Delafield township.

Mr. Foss was married in Delafield township December 18, 1905, to Clara Brakke, daughter of John P. Brakke and a native of the township in which she was married. To Mr. and Mrs. Foss have been born two children: Mildred, born March 21, 1907; Luella, bom December 16, 1908, died October 6, 1909.

AUGUST WERNER (1893), a fanner and stock raiser of Petersburg township, was born in Bornteen, Germany, December 25, 1853, the son of Carl and Maria (Shueman) Werner, both deceased.

August spent his boyhood days in Germany, but emigrated to the United States with his parents when less than eighteen years of age. The family sailed from Hamberg for the new world on August 28, 1871, and the next year located in the city of Chicago, soon after the terrible fire. During the winter of 1872-73 August worked in the country near Chicago, and then moved to the city, where he resided one year. During the next sixteen years he lived in and in the vicinity df Chicago. Then in March, 1893, he moved with his family to Jackson county and has ever since made his home in Petersburg township.

Mr. Werner owns the southwest quarter of section one and the east half of the southeast quarter of section two, Petersburg. He owns , stock in the Farmers Elevator Co., of Alpha, in the Alpha Creamery Co. and in the Alpha Horse company. He is a member of the Grerman Lutheran church.

In Chicago, Illinois, on July 9, 1877, Mr. Werner was married to Marie Pasal, who was born July 26, 1852. To these parents have been born the following named children: Paulina, bom June 7, 1878, died June 1, 1882; Augusta, bom May 28, 1879; Emma, born May 20, 1880; Herman, born November 26, 1882; Martha, born December 6, 1883; Henry, born September 17, 1885; Eddy, born May 1, 1887; Lizzie, born April 13, 1891; Otto, bom June 7, 1894. All the children except Otto were born in Evergreen Park, Illinois.

BARBARA READLE (1873), proprietor of the hotel at Miloma and postmistress of that office, was bom in Baden, Germany, June 21, 1851, the daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Cook) Readle.

Joseph Readle and family came to America in 1852, landing at Baltimore in February of that year. He located at Cincinnati, Ohio, lived there one year, spent the next year in Kentucky, and then returned to the Ohio city, where he was engaged in the wood and coal business until 1872. That year he moved to Jackson county and homesteaded in Alba township, where he lived until his death, April 14, 1896, aged 79 years. His wife, the mother of our subject, died April 7, 1893, aged 68 years. Ten children were bom to these parents, of whom the following five are living: Lawrence, Stephen, Joseph, Mrs. Anna Snyder and Miss Barbara Readle.

Miss Readle made her home with her parents in Alba township until her mother's death in 1893. Then she rented the hotel at Prairie Junction (now Miloma) and engaged in the hotel and restaurant business. One year later she bought the property, and in March, 1894, she was appointed postmistress of Prairie Junction, and has resided there ever since. She is assisted by her brother, Joseph Readle, who is deputy postmaster.

Joseph J. Readle was born in Cincinnati March 23, 1856. He left home when sixteen years of age and learned the glazier trade, which he followed five years in Sioux City, Iowa. The next five years he was shipping clerk for the firm with whom he had been employed. Thereafter he was employed at various occupations in different parts of the United States. In January, 1908, he located at Miloma and has since been deputy. postmaster. Mr. Readle was married at Sioux City to Nellie Noonan, a native of Marshalltown, Iowa. She died in September, 1901. One child, Ralph, was born to this union.

ARTHUR J. SPARKS (1897) is a farmer and thoroughbred stock raiser who resides within the corporate limits of the village of Lakefield. He owns the old Rasmus Larson homestead adjoining the village of Lakefield and the southeast quarter of section 6, Hunter township. He was one of the first to bring a herd of registered Shorthorn cattle to Jackson county, and he has a fine herd of stock. He also has 400 growing fruit trees on his home farm.

Mr. Sparks was born in Grant county, Wisconsin, January 9, 1873, the son of Joseph and Mary A. (Tomlinson) Sparks. Both parents were natives of England. They came to America when seven years of age, lived one winter in Canada, and then located in Grant county, Wisconsin, in 1837, being very early pioneers of that county. The father of our subject crossed the plains to California in 1849 and was the first to reach the famous Grass Valley. He returned to the states by way of Panama, the gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi river and lived in Grant county, Wiscon- ain, until a abort time before bis deatb. He died in 1905, aged 78 years. His wife still lives and is 72 years of age. Tbey were the parents of ten children, of whom the following five are living: Mrs. C. E. Buell, of Webster City, Iowa; Mrs. Allie Blank, of North Dakota; Frank T., of Buffalo Center, Iowa; Artbiu" J., of this sketch; and Clinton A., of Buffalo Center, Iowa.

Arthur lived with bis parents in Grant county, Wisconsin, until 1897, and there he received a district school education. In the year last mentioned he came to Jackson county and bought the northwest quarter of section 36, Delafield township, where he lived nearly four years. Selling that, he bought the Larson homestead, on the edge of Lakefield, and there he has since lived, engaged in farming and stockraising. Daring bis residence in Delafield township Mr. Sparks was a member of the school board of his district. He is a member of the Maccabee and M. W. A. lodges.

lives. She is the daughter of Rasmus and Christine B. (Hokansen) Larson, early pioneers of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Larson were natives of Norway. They came to America in 1867, lived three years in Goodhue county, Minnesota, and then came to Jackson county and located on their homestead where Lakefield now stands. At that time there was no Lakefield- and no railroad. It took one week to get lumber from MadeHa with oxen with which to build their abode. On this place they spent the rest of their lives. Mrs. Larson died in 1902 at the age of 76 years and Mr. Larson died in 1903 at the age of 67 years.

Lena D., the only child of these parents, was bom August 24, 1875. She completed a common school education at Lakefield and then, to fit herself for teaching, she took a course of three terms at the Mankato Normal school. She taught four years in the schools of Jackson county and was married to Arthur J. Sparks in 1899. To Mr. and Mrs. Sparks have been bom the following children: Stacey H., Florence C. M., D. Koscoe, D. Ruth, Clarence J., Theodore A. and Eugene L.

At the age of ten years Sam Dahl emigrated to the United States and located in Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he resided until 1880, securing an education and working at farm work. From 1880 to 1890 he was engaged in farming in Murray county, Minnesota, and in August of the last named year located in the village of Heron Lake. He bought grain there for a number of years and then started in the general merchandise store business at the little hamlet of Okabena. He owns stock in the Farmers Telephone company and has served as treasurer of West Heron Lake township for eight years. He is a member of the Odd Fellows and Woodmen lodges.

DR. IVER S. BENSON (1881), physician and surgeon of Jackson, is a native of the county and the son of pioneer settlers. His parents were Ben and Bertha (Lostegard) Benson, bom in Norway April 18, 1826, and February 21, 1835, respectively. They came to America in 1867 and to Jackson county in October of the -same year. The head of the family filed a homestead claim to the northwest^ quarter of section 32, Petersburg township, and he and his wife lived there the rest of their lives. The father of our subject died in the spring of 1906; his mother died in February, 1882.

Dr. Tver S. Benson

Iver Sw Benson, the youngest of this large family, was bom in Petersburg township and spent his boyhood days on the farm, attending the district school. In the fall of 1897 he entered Augustana college of Canton, South Dakota, and was a student there until his graduation in the spring of 1901. Ihiring the next year he was engaged in teaching school, conducting a six months' term in Iowa and a three months' term in Jackson county. In the fall of 1902 he began the study of medicine at Hamline university and was a student there two years. He entered the College of Physicians and ' Surgeons, of Chicago, in 1904, from which he received his diploma in the spring of 1906. Immediately after graduation Dr. Benson was appointed resident physician and surgeon of the Norwegian Deaconess hospital in Chicago and served in that capacity one year. He located in Jackson in the spring of 1907 and has ever since been engaged in the practice of his profession.

I^. Benson now conducts a h<5spital and has his office and residence in the new Matuska & Skalicky block, opposite the postoffice. Dr. Benson holds membership in the Jackson County Medical society, the Minnesota State Medical society and American Medical association. Fraternally he is associated with the Knights of Pythias, Equitable Fraternal Union, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Sons of Norway. He and his wife are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

In the city of Minneapolis, on June 14, 1907, Dr. J3enson was united in marriage to Katherine Oberg, who was born in Sweden and who came to America and to Minneapolis at the age of six years. She is the daughter- -^f Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Oberg.

CHARLES H. MEYER (1886) is a farmer and stockraiser of Petersburg township. He was bom in Hanover, Germany, October 29, 1861, the son of Henry and Mary (Ludje) Meyer.

Mr. Meyer came to America when sixteen and one-half years of age, landing in Now York city April 28, 1878. He located first in DuPage county, Illinois, where for four years he lived on a farm. Then he went to a point west of Chicago and worked at the carpenter trade two years. Then taking up his residence in the city of Chicago, he continued to work at his trade twenty-three months longer. On July 2, 1885, he went to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, worked at his trade until February 28, 1886, returned to Chicago, and immediately set out for Jackson county, arriving on March 25, 1886. His total possessions at the time of his arrival were his chest of tools and two sets of clothes. He came with the intention of soon returning to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, but he liked the looks of the country and decided to remain. From the of his arrival until his marriage in 1891 Mr. Meyer lived with the family of Mr. Schroeder in Petersburg township and worked at the carpenter trade. Then he bought property and engaged in farming, which he has since followed.

Mr. Meyer owns 240 acres of land in section 13, Petersburg. He owns stock in the Petersburg Creamery company and in a threshing company. He is a member of the Petersburg German Lutheran church and holds the office of church treasurer.

THOMAS H. GRINAGER (1889),deceased,wa8 a resident of Delafield township nineteen years, having made his home during that time on his farm two and one-half miles south of Wilder. He was born in Westre Toten, Norway, M&y 3, 1824, the son of Hans Hanson and Helen (Peterson) Hanson.

Early in life Mr. Grinager engaged in farming, later becoming a blacksmith and engaging in that business for several years. He came to America in the fall of 1888 and located at Stoughton, Wisconsin. The next spring he came to Jackson county, and from that time until his death he engaged in farming in Delafield toM'nship. Upon his arrival he bought the north half of the northeast quarter of section 30 - a farm which is now owned by his widow and conducted by his son, Hans Grinager. Our subject was a member of the United Lutheran church. He died June 16, 1908.

Thomas Grinager was married in Norway April 27, 1859, to Andrena Hanson, who survives her husband. To this imion were bom the following named children: Hanna (Mro

John Aker), of Janesvillc, Wisconsin, bom August 21, 1860; Petra (Mrs. Mike Johnson), of Weimer township, born January 20, 1863, died May 3, 1908; John, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, born March 9, 1865; Thea (:Mrs. Jacob T. Ullsnes), of Norway, bom June 9, 1868; Augusta (Mrs. John Johnson), of Cottonwood county, born February 15, 1871; Helen (Mrs. John Larson), of Delafield township, bom November 14, 1874; Hans, who resides at home, born February 20, 1878; Albert, born April 3, 1882, died July 6, 1908.

Hans Grinager has conducted the farm since his father's death and farms in addition the southwest quarter of section 19, which he rents. He is unmarried.

CHRIST BAUER (1883) owns 240 acres of land on sections 12 and 11, Heron Lake township, where he has lived nearly a quarter of a century. He is a German by birth and was born June 24, 1856, one of a family of two boys. Both his parents are dead, his mother having died when he was ten years old, his father twenty years ago.

Christ Bauer lived in Germany twenty-six years, of which the first fouiteen were spent at home, the others working on farms. He came to America in 1882, lived one year in Cook county, Illinois, and then came to Jackson county. For four years he worked out and then in 1887 bought his present farm, where he has ever since lived, making all the improvements on the farm. During his long residence in Heron Lake township Mr. Bauer has held several township and school offices. He is a member of the German Lutheran church.

Mr. Bauer was married in Jackson county in April, 1889, to Mrs. Will Bauer, a native of Germanv. To them have been born three children, named as follows: Rosa, born June 24, 1890; Herman, born Decfember 6, 1891; Emma, born May 30, 1895. By her first husband Mrs. Bauer is the mother of five children, Frida, Dora, Met a, Ernie and Will.

SAMUEL L. RANK (1896), postmaster of Wilder and proprietor of a general merchandise store in that village, is a native of Fulton county. Indiana, and was born April 4, 1859. His father was Amos Rank, a native of Pennsylvania, who died twenty years ago. His

Our subject moved from Fulton county, Indiana, with his parents in 1870, to Cottonwood county, Minnesota, and made his home on the farm there until he was twenty-six years of age. During the years 1882 and 1883 he was an engineer on a Lake Superior lighter owned by Alex McDougal, the inventor of whaleback freight vessels. During this time his headquarters were at Duluth. In 1885 Mr. Rank left the home farm, rented a farm in Cottonwood county, and engaged in farming it eleven years.

Mr. Rank moved to Wilder in 1896 and built the creamery at that point. This he conducted a number of years and then sold to the Farmers Cooperative Creamery company. After selling the creamery he engaged in the general merchandise business in Wilder and has since conducted the store. He was appointed postmaster of the village May 1, 1902, and still holds the office. He is president of the village council and has served as village treasurer. He holds membership in the A. F. & A. M. and the M. W. A. lodges.

The marriage of Mr. Rank occurred in Cot ton wood, county May 21, 1885, when he wedded Miss Alice Marie Smith, a native of Mankato. To this union have been born the following named children: Maud E., Ruth M., Clarence E., Robert S., Marie and Spencer.

BENJAMIN IVIATTESON (1883), proprietor of a Jackson jewelry store, was born in Norway September 16, 1848, the son of Matt and Marih (Johnson) Matteson. In his native land he secured his education and worked on his father's farm. He came to the United States in August, 1867, and located in Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he worked as a farm laborer two years. The next two years were spent in Allamakee county, Iowa, and from there he went to Mason City, of the same state.

Mr. Matteson worked at the carpenter trade in Mason City two years and then moved to Worth county, where he bought a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits for three or four years. Having traded his Iowa farm for one in Martin county, Minnesota, Mr. Matteson moved to the latter place and farmed until 1880. He then married and moved to Emmet county, Iowa, whence, after farming two years, be moved to Jackson village in 1883. For three years he worked at the carpenter trade there and then put in three years at his trade in Estherville, Iowa. Returning to Jackson in the fall of 1889, he engaged in the jewelry business, having bought out J. W. Cowing, and for the past twenty years has been so engaged.

Mr. Matteson was married at Superior, Iowa, in 1880 to Jennette Anders^, a native of Yellowstone, Lafayette county, Wisconsin, and a daughter of Gilbert and Olena Andersen. Mrs. ^latteson's parents came from Norway in an early day and were pioneers of Dickinson county, Iowa, where they both still reside. To Mr. and Mrs. Matteson has been bom - one child. Mina O., now Mrs. Frank Albertus, of Jackson. Mr. Matteson is a member of the Masonic and M. W. A. lodges.

LORENZ STUMPF (1S87), Ewington township farmer, was bom in Qermany September 12, 1866, the only child born to Kammillius and Johanna Stumpf, both deceased. His mother dying when he was an infant, Lorenz was brought up in the family of a relative. He secured nine years' schooling and when young learned the shoemaker's trade, working at it six years in the old country.

On the twenty -fdurth day of July, 1886, Mr. Stumpf landed in the new world. He located in Lake county, Illinois, worked out there one year, and during the month of October, 1887, arrived in Jackson county, which has ever since been his home. Until he was twentyseven years of age he worked out on farms in Fwington township. Then he married and has since been engaged in farming for himself on rented farms, two years of the time in Rost township, the balance in Ewington. His present location is the northeast quarter of section 15.

Mr. Stumpf was married in Jackson October 26, 1893, to Johanna Janssen, who was born in Germany April 21, 1874. She is the daughter of John G. Janssen, of Ewington township. Her mother is dead. Mr. Stumpf is a member of the German Lutheran church. He ser\'- ed as road overseer two years and has been township assessor for the past two years.

HERMAN POHLMAN (1884), who owns a fine farm in the northwest corner of Heron Lake township - in that part of the township which was formerly a part of West Heron Lake township - came to Jackson county when he was nine years of age and has spent the rest of his life as a resident of this political division. His farm consists of 253 acres on section 2.

Our subject is a German by birth and was born August 15, 1875. His father, Carl Pohlman, died in 1902; his mother, Christina (Gieselman) Pohlraan, resides with her son. Herman crossed the water with his parents in the spring of 1884« and on the 24th day of March, 1884, the family arrived in Lakefield. Our subject was brought up on a farm on section 8, Heron Lake township, and received his education in the Jackson county district schools. In 1891 Carl Pohlman bought the farm which is now owned by Herman. The latter worked for his father until 1898; then he bought the home farm and has ever since conducted it. Mr. Pohlman is one of the stockholders of the First National Bank of Lakefield. He is a member of the German Lutheran church.

Mr. Pohlman was married in Heron Lake township July 4, 1897, to Annie Daberkow, who was bom in Germany and who came to the United States in 1893. To them have been born the following named five children: William, bom May 30, 1899; Helen, born September 8, 1901; August and Herman (twins), born September 4, 1903; Arthur, bom February 26, 1907.

ALBERT A. LEV (1890) has been a resident of Jackson county for the past nineteen years and resides on his farm in Des Moines township which was formerly the Ole Anderson homestead, and is located on the northeast quarter of section sixteen. Mr. Lev was born in Bohemia June 13, 1873, and at the age of twelve years accompanied his parents to the United States, and first made settlement in Linn county, Iowa, where he resided five years. Then the family came to Jackson county and located on the south half of the northwest quarter, section 8, in Des Moines township, where our subject lived with his parents and worked on the farm until he was twenty-six years of age. He then married and rented a farm in Hunter township for a per-

He is the son of Albert and Anna Lev. The former resides with his son, Frank, in the village of Jackson. His wife died April 19. 1909. at the age of 70 years. They are the parents of the following children: Mary (Mrs. Frank Viner), Albert, Frank and Anna (Mrs. William Benda).

Albert Lev was married in the village of Jackson on November 9, 1897, to Miss Mary Benda, a native of Iowa. They are the parents of five children, namely: Willie, Anna, Lulu, Julia and Henry.

Mr. Lev now holds the office of director in school district 7, and also is treasurer of the township board, having held both offices the past seven years. He is also secretary of the West Des Moines Telephone line. He is a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters and of the Catholic church.

CHARLES F. WOLFF (1887), a Middletown township farmer, was born in the city of Chicago September 16, 1873, the son of Charles and Hannah (Lindeburg) Wolff, now residents of Jackson. His parents were bom and married in Germany, coming to America soon after their marriage. They lived in Cook county, Illinois, for several years, and since 1887 have been residents of Jackson county. Charles is one of a family of eight children, named as follows: Otto, Anna, Hattie, Charles, John, Frances, Henry and Sophia.

When our subject was about one year of age the family moved from Chicago onto a market garden farm near the city, and that was the home of our subject until he came to Jackson county with his parents in 1887. One year was spent on the farm in Petersburg township, and then the elder Wolff moved to his farm in southern Middletown township, where he resided until 1898, when he located in Jackson. Charles worked for his father on the farm until he was twenty-five years of age. Then he rented the home farm, consisting of a half section on sections 35 and 36, and has since been engaged in business for himself.

Mr. Wolff was married in Jackson January 10, 1906j to Marie Olson, a native of Jackson county. She is the daughter of Andrew and Margaret (Haverberg) Olson, who are pioneer settlers of the county and who now live in Jaekson. Two daughters have been bom to

JOHN KATUS (1894), farmer and land owner of Ewington township, is a native of Hungary and was bora November 27, 1852. Until nearly twenty.-one years of age he resided with his parents in his native land, attending school and working on the farm. He served one month in the array, just before his departure for America, but his father secured his release and the son came to America.

It was in the year 1873 that John Katus arrived in the new world. He spent the first eight months in Indiana, lived a short time in Livingston county, Illinois, and then took up his residence in the city of Streator. After working eleven years in the coal mines in that city, Mr. Katus met with an accident in the mine which resulted in a broken leg. He then gave up mining and engaged in business. In 1894 Mr. Katus came to Jackson county, bought the northeast quarter of section 22, Ewington township, and has since been engaged in farming th^ place. The farm was raw prairie land when he bought and all the improvements are the result of his work. Since coming to the county he has added to his real estate holdings by the purchase of the southeast quarter of section 15, and he farms the entire half section.

Mr. Katus has prospered since coming to the county. In the year 1909 he harvested about 3,500 bushels of small grain and 2,000 bushels of com. For several years past Mr. Katus and John Gerdes have been engaged in the threshing business. Mr. Katus has stock in the Brewster Creamery company, in the grain elevator of the same village and in the Brewster and Round Lake Telephone company. He is a member of the Ewington township board and for nine years served as treasurer of school district No. 99.

John Katus is one of a family of six children living born to John and Anna (Rogola) Katus, the others bein^ Annie, Susan, Mary, Andrew and Michael. The father of these children lives in Streator and is 85 years of age. The mother died in 1907, aged 79 years.

Mr. Katus was married in Streator April 10, 1877, to Annie Bartko, also a native of Hungary. They have six children, as follows: Andrew, born August 21, 1882; Mary, bom December 11, 1884; Susie, born Febmary 7, 1887;

Biogkaphical History

George, bom August 3, 1889; Emma, bom July 20, 1802; Clara, bora May 28, 1898. The family are members of the Slovak Lutheran church and Mr. Katus is a member of the Slovak lodge.

HARRY M. BURNHAM (1892) is the proprietor of one of Jackson's leading department stores. He is a native of London, England, and was born September 12, 1873, the son of James and Maria (Steele) Bumham.

In his native city Mr. Burnham lived until 1884. That year he came to the United States with his parents and located at Wyckoff, Minnesota. Two years later he moved to Fairmont, and in that village he was educated and grew to, manhood. He moved to Jackson in the fall of 1892 and that village has since been his home. He engaged in the dry goods business in 1897 and has built up an excellent trade, having one of the neatest and best appointed stores in the county. He built his present commodious business block in 1903.

Mr. Burnham was married in Jackson in September, 1898, to Miss Mabel Albertus, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Albertus. To them has been bom one child, Cecil A.

Mr. Burnham is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to the Knights Templar and Commandry of Fairmont, and the Osman Temple of St. Paul. He is at present an officer of the Grand Lodge of the state and is a past master of Good Faith lodge No. 90, of Jackson. He also holds membership in the Modern Woodmen of America lodge. Mr. Burnham has served as president of the Jackson village council and of the board of education.

The parents of our subject are Peter and Christina (Brest) Reimers. The former was bom in Germany and came to America when twenty-one years of age, locating at Davenport, Iowa. He was married at Elkhart, Hlinois. Mrs. Reimers was bom in Ohio. There are eight children in the family, as follows: Henry, Kate, John, Will, Phoebe, George, Fred and Lucy.

JOHN BARNETT (1888), who conducts a lumber yard at Okabena, is a native of the Orkney IsUnds, where he was born November 23, 1856, the son of James and Margaret (Wallace) Bamett. He spent his boyhood days in his native land, receiving a common school education. He learned the mason's trade and followed that occupation many years.

Mr. Barnett came to America in 1882, Hved two years in Canada, and then came to the United States. After residing four years in Sibley, Iowa, Mr. Barnett, in August, 1888, came to Jackson county and located in West Heron Lake township, southwest of the location of the present village of Okabena, where he worked on a farm several years. In 1898 he engaged in the lumber business in Okabena and has since been so engaged. Mr. Bamett owns his home in Okabena. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the M. W. A. lodge No. 7918, of which be has been clerk for nine years. He served as clerk of West Heron Lake township seven years.

FRED REIMERS (1891) is a Sioux VaUey township farmer. He was born in Tama county, Iowa, May 31, 1880, and when seven years of age accompanied his parents to Lake Park. The family lived in that village a year and a half and then moved onto a farm near the town, where our subject resided until 1891, working on the farm and attending the school.

In 1891 the family moved to Sioux Valley township and leased the west half of the southwest quarter of section 26. Fred worked for his father on the farm until 1902. Then he rented the farm and has since conducted it for himself. He is unmarried and makes his home

WILLIAM HAMLON (1892) is a resident of Jackson. He is the son of the late John Ham- Ion ai^d Mary Hamlon. John Hamlon was bom in Albany, New York, September 10, 1841, and when two years old moved with his parents to Chicago, where his father was drowned in 1844, and his mother died in 1848. John Hamlon was then "bound out" for eleven years. In 1866 lie started out for the gold fields of California in company with a brother and a party, but before getting out of the state he gave up the undertaking and settled in Mendota, Illinois. There he lived until 1869 and then moved to Ford county, Illinois, where he resided until 1892. Coming to Jackson county that year Mr. Hamlon made his home here until his death, which occurred December 17, 1896. His wife now makes her home with her son in Jackson.

William Hamlon was born to these parents at Mendota, Illinois, November 28, 1865, one of a family of four children, all living. The other children are Chaimcy, a dentist of Lamberton, Minnesota; Minnie (Mrs. William Lynn) and Emma (Mrs. William Baker). When he was four years old William accompanied his parents to Ford county. He spent his winters attending the district schools and his summers working on his father's farm. He came to Jackson county with his parents in the spring of 1892 and located in Middletown township, making his home with his parents. He assisted in the management of the farms - his father having purchased 1040 acres in Middletown and Des Moines townships. After his father's death in 1896 Mr. Hamlon worked part of the farm on his own account, and then moved to Jackson, where he has since resided.

HERMAN FRODERMANN (1890), Rost township farmer and stockman, was born in Hoist ein, Germany, February 10, 1867, the sou of August and Magdalena (Hendricks) Frodermann. His father died at Holstein, Germany, in 1878, aged 43 years; his mother, who was born in 1833, still lives in her native land.

Herman lived in Germany until twenty-two years of age. He was brought up on a farm and after growing up worked as a farm laborer. He came to America in 1889, landing in New York March 28. He spent the first eight months of his life in the new world working on a farm in Clinton county, Iowa, and then went to Holstein, Ida county, Iowa, where he was employed on a farm until the spring of 1891.

Mr. Frodermann first came to Jackson county in the fall of 1890, was here a short time and then returned to Ida county. In March, 1891, he returned to Jackson county to reside permanently. He worked out one year in Rost township, and then engaged in farming on his own account. One year he farmed the Peter Tordsen farm and the next year the Charles Schmidt farm, both in Rost township.

Mr. Frodermann next rented the Fred Flagman farm in ^oux Valley township and farmed it eleven years. He farmed the Stelk farm in Rost two years, and on 3Iarch 1, 1907, located on the S. M. Richards farm in Rost, where he has since lived. In the fall of 1909 he became a land owner, having purchased a 120 acre farm on section 34, Rost township.

Mr. Frodermann engages extensively in stock raising, shipping his own stock. He has interests in the Rost creamery, the cooperative store at Lakefleld and the farmers elevator of the same town. He is a member of the K. O. T. M. and the M. W. A. lodges.

In Sioux Valley township on October 11, 1891, Mr. Frodermann was married to Dora Grimm, who was born in Hanover, Germany, March 23, 1874, and who came to the United States in 1889. To. them have been bom five children as follows: Lizzie, born April 7, 1892; August, born March 30, 1894; Emma, born December 20, 1895; Mary, bom January 26, 1898; Erwin, bom February 5, 1900.

OLIVER W. BROWN (1887), foreman of the round house of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway company at Jackson, has led an interesting and eventful life, the last twentythree years of which have been spent in Jackson. He was bom at Frederick's Vam, which was at the time the location of the Norwegian navy yards, Norway, on December 7, 1841, the son of Edward and Olevia (Brown) Brown.

When Oliver was a mere child his mother died and he went to live with an imcle at Horten, Norway, to which place the navy yards had been moved from Frederick's Vam. There he received a meager education and served an apprenticeship in the navy yards. At an early age he shipped as a seafaring man in the Norwegian naval mail service and followed that occupation until 1862. For several years thereafter he served in the capacity of ship's machinist and visited many foreign countries.

In the latter part of 1866 Mr. Brown, while at Copenhagen, Denmark, shipped with the American navy, taking service on the United States warship Canandaigua, which had been built during the civil war for a blockade runner, and which at the time was one of a squadron under the command of Admiral Farragut, on a cruise of the world. Over three years were spent on this trip, the squadron visiting every civilized portion of the world.

and landing at the Brooklyn navy yard during the holidays of 1869. Upon leaving his ship at that time Mr. Brown enlisted in the United States navy as a blacksmith, but his skill as a mechanic soon won him promotion to the position of machinist. He was honorably dis^ charged at Brooklyn.

Having saved up quite a sum of Spanish gold, Mr. Brown exchanged it for coin of the realm and went to Newburg, on the Hudson river, where, in partnership with a retired naval officer, he started a machine shop on an extensive scale. The enterprise proved a failure and for a short time thereafter he worked at his trade at Gold Springs, near West Point, New York, and at Jersey City. In the fall of 1871 he turned his face westward and landed in the city of Chicago, where he followed his trade until the big fire of October, 1871. After that never-to-be-forgotten event he went to Milwaukee and entered the employ of the Milwaukee railroad, and with the exception of seven months during the panic of 1873, he has been continuously in the employ of that railroad.

During the seven months he was not in the employ of the railroad company in 1873 Mr. Brown built and put in ^operation the first steam yacht that ever plyed the waters of the Milwaukee river. The vessel was successfully operated as a pleasure boat for three seasons, and then went out of commission in that service because of the carrying away by flood of the Milwaukee dam. The boat was then sold to a fishing firm on lake Michigan. The yacht was supplied with a fourteen horse power upright engine and had a speed of sixteen and one -half knots an hour.

When he entered the employ of the Milwaukee road at Milwaukee in 1871 Mr. Brown served as machinist and later was made foreman of the round house. In 1887 he moved to Jackson to take the position of foreman of the round house of the Milwaukee road at that point and has ever since served in that capacity.

In the month of October, 1871, in the city of Chicago, fourteen days before the big fire, Mr. Brown was married to Ovidia Bay, a native of Norway. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown have been bom seven children - two sons and five daughters. Both sons are dead, the elder having met his death by drowning in the Milwaukee river. The daughters are all teachers, Milly being an artist of great ability, and

Birdie (Mrs. Ainsley Hughes), is a talented musician, having studied under old masters in Norway and Chicago. The other living children are Hilda, Grace and Maybelle.

Mr. Brown owns a section of land in Wadena county, Minnesota, and owns considerable property in the village of Jackson. He was a member of the village council two terms and has been a member of the board of education for the last five years.

H. B. GILLESPIE (1891), member of the firm of W. B. Gillespie & Sons, proprietor of a Jackson hardware store^ is a native of Osage, Iowa, and was born December 26, 1871, the son of William B. and . Alice (Batts) Gillespie. Two years after the birth of omr subject the family moved to Traer, Iowa, and at that place H. B. Gillespie was raised. He was educated in the Traer high school.

In 1889 our subject accompanied his parents to Forest City, Iowa, and for two years was engaged in the hardware business. He came to Jackson in December, 1691, and in partner- . ship with his father bought the Fiddes hardware store, in which he has since had an interest. Besides his interest in the atore Mr. Gillespie owns stock in, and is a director of, the Jackson National Bank. He owns property in the village and was a member of the village council from 1905 to 1907. He holds membership in the K, P., A. O. U. W. and M. W. A. lodges.

Mr Gillespie was married September 6, 1899, to Miss Bella G. Hunter, and to them have been bom three children, as follows: Margaret H., born August 12, 1902, Helen H., bora September 8, 1904; Hunter R., born January 16, 1909.

HENRY SCHULTZ (1888), Enterprise township farmer, was born in Cook county, Iliinois, January 9, 1874, the son of Christ and Dora (Howe) Schultz. His parents were of German birth and came to America in 1868, locating in Illinois.

Henry came to Jackson county With his parents in 1888 and has lived in Enterprise township ever since, with the exception of the year 1897, when he resided in Wisconsin township. Until he was twenty-six years of age he resided at home, since which time he has been engaged in farming on his own account.

He owns the west half of the southwest quarter of section 3 and an undivided interest in the southeast quarter of section 4, and has stock in the Farmers Elevator company of Alpha.

Mr. Schultz was married November 5, 1902, to Annie Gnmst, who was bom September 15, 1883. Two children have been bom to this union: Alfred, born October 4, 1903; Walter, born December 18, 1907. The family are members of the German Lutheran church of Kimball.

ELIAS CEDARBERG (1888), who owns a quarter section farm in Heron Lake township, has been engaged in farpiing there for the last twenty-one years. He was bom in Sweden August 23, 1^859, one of a family of fourteen children bom to O. T. Falk and Pharnella Falk. The living children are Elias Cedarberg, Annie Johnson, August Olson, Swan Olson, Adolph Olson, Peter Olson, Otto Olson, Nellie Nelson and Hilda Hoah. The parents of these children lived in Jackson county for several years, but the father now resides in his native, land; the mother died in 1900 at the age of 59 years.

Elias lived with his parents in Sweden until he was fourteen years of age. Then he shipped as a sailor and for the next five years was on the water, cruising in European waters, in the West Indies and the Americas. He quit the sea in June, 1879, when he landed in New York City, where he was paid oflf and honorably discharged. He went to Chesterton, Indiana, where for one year he worked for Thomas Blackwell, who was engaged in the flour mill and saw mill business. From Iiyiiana Mr. Cedarberg went to West Union, Iowa, where for one summer he was employed as night miller in a flour mill. He next went to Minneapolis and took the position of miller in the Washburn A flour mill, after it had been rebuilt following the disastrous explosion of 1879. He was with the milling company one year and then had to quit on account of poor eyesight.

Mr. Cedarberg next engaged in railroading. He went to Fargo, North Dakota, as the foreman of a carpenter crew for a railroad contractor. One year later he took charge of a construction crew on the Northern Pacific railroad, but soon gave up that work and located in St. Paul. There he was made emigration agent for the Union Depot company, a position he held several years. In 1888 Mr. Ced&rberg came to Jackson county and located upon his farm on sections 14 and 15, Heron Lake township, which he had bought two years before. He has made all the improvements on the farm. With his own hands he built the commodious home he occupies and set out the trees of the grove.

The subject of this biography was married in St. Paul January 11, 1884, to Alma Olson, who was born at Kalmar, Sweden, March 13, 1864, and who came to America in 1880. To them have been bom two children: Allen, bom June 11, 1885; Olga (Mrs. P. a Brakke), of Delafield township, born in 1886. Mr. Oedarberg is a member of the Woodmen and Workmen lodges.

CHARLES M. GAGE (1885), deceased, the oldest son of Solonion Crage, was bom on his father's farm in Kane county, Hlinois, on the 25th day of December, in the year 1862. He attended a country school that was located near his home and finished his education at a seminary at Elgin, Illinois.

He was a very industrious and model yovng man and the old farm remained his home until 1885, when he married Estella McClelland and moved to Jackson county, Minnesota, where he purchased the south half of section 31 in the township of Belmont and developed it into one of the best stock farms in the county. While living in Belmont township he served several terms as chairman of the town board and clerk of his school district.

Mr. Gage was the father of seven children. T. Ernest Gage, bom November 8, 1885; Fern Gage, born January 18,1887; Florence M. Gage, bom February 2, 1890; Bertie Marie G^age, born April 18, 1894; Elmer Gage, bom October, 1896, were born on the above named farm. Harold W. Gage, born October 5, 1899, and Sylvia S. Gage, born May 10, 1903, were IxHn after Mr. Gage had moved his family into their new home he had built in Lakefield, Minnesota, in 1897. Fern Gage died of diphtheria in the winter of 1894 and Elmer Gage <mly lived to be ten or twelve days old. Mr. Gage left his farm and made his home in Lakefield in order that his children might attend the high school. He entered into the farm implement business in partnership with John Frederickson at Lakefield, which partnership continued until 1001, when E. A. Gage bought out ^Ir. Frederiekson's interest in the business, and the firm became known as Grage Brothers. Mr. (rage died at his home in Lakefield, Minnesota, on July 19, 1908, after an illness of some ten days. He left a wife, five children and a great many friends to mourn his death. Mr. Gage was a thoughtful, loving husband, a generous father and a loyal citizen. He was a member of the A. 0. U. W. and the M. W. A. lodges of Lakefield and also a member of the Lakefield Lodge No. 250, A. F. & A. M., Jackson Cliapter No. 73, R. A. M., Jackson, Minnesota, and Fairmont Commandery K. T. No. 27, Fairmont, Minnesota.

consin, April 7, 1870^ the son of John and Mary (Rooney) O'Donnell. He received a common school education at New Diggings and resided with his parents until twenty-one years of age.

In 1891 Mr. O'Donnell went to Havelock, Pocahontas county, Iowa, remained there during the following winter and in April, 1892, located in Jackson, Minnesota, where, with the exception of one year spent in Austin, Minnesota, he has ever since resided.

Mr. 0*Donnell was married October 28, 1894, to Miss Reka Hagerman. To them have been born two children: Blanche and Edward. Tlie family are members of the Catholic church.

GUST BENSON (1893) is one of the big farmers of West Heron Lake township, in which he owns 400 acres of land on sections 28 and 22. He was born in Sweden May 5, 1858, the son of Nels and Johanna (Monson) Benson, both of whom died in their native land.