Lyon County, Minnesota - Biographical sketches, 1912 (part 7 of 17)

George Le Beau was born in Chicago, Illinois, March 6, 1867, and moved to Kankakee county, Illinois, with his parents when quite young. In 1883 the family came to Lyon county and settled in Grandview township, the father buying the southeast quarter of section 1, in which George has had an interest since his father's death. Our subject lived at home until the age of twenty-four years, when he was given a farm on the southwest quarter of section 6, Fairview township, by his father. That placs he improved and farmed, residing there until 1899, when he moved to Ghent and took charge of the elevator. Mr. Le Beau since locating in Ghent has served on the Village Council and has been a member of the Board of Education.

27, 1891, to Lea Paradis, a daughter of Antoine Paradis, one of the Lyon county settlers of 1883. Her people came from Illinois, where she was born. There are two children, Arthur and Victor, in the family of George Le Beau.

George Le Beau has two brothers, William and Robert, living in Marshall, and a sister, Agnes, of Fairview township. The father, Victor Le Beau, died some years ago, and the mother, Catherine (O'Day) Le Beau, is still living.

EGGERT E. FJELSTAD (1878) is a farmer and landowner of Westerheim township who has lived in Lyon county many years. His farm is on section 14.

Mr. Fjelstad is a native of Iceland and was born October 30, 1840. He came to America and Lyon county in 1878, worked at farm labor in Yellow Medicine and Lyon counties one year, and then purchased from the railroad company his farm on section 14. Westerheim. He has resided continuously on that place since, engaged in farming and stock raising. Mr. Fjelstad is a member of the Icelandic Lutheran church of Westerheim township.

The marriage of our subject to Sigridur Einarsdottir occurred in Iceland October 20, 1868. She was born in that country in 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Fjelstad have two children: Albert, born July 29, 1882; and Elena Groa, born April 13, 1890. Both live with their parents.

The deceased children of the family were named Karitas, Fridfinnur, Einar, Maria, Maria, Groa, Gudbrandur and Elena. Four of the children died in Iceland in infancy; three died in Westerheim township at the ages of four, seven and eleven years. The oldest child, Karitas, was married to H. C. Lee, of Minneota. In 1902 she and her husband moved to Dooly county, Georgia. Soon after the removal to that place Mrs. Lee was taken ill and died there February i, 1903. She left a husband and five children, who still live in Georgia.

JOSEPH SUPERNATZ (1887)* One of the old residents of Lyon county is Joseph Supernatz, who has lived here for the past twenty-five years. He resides in Coon Creek

The subject of this sketch received his education in the land of his nativity. After finishing school he worked for his father on the farm until twenty-eight years of age. In 1887 he came to America and located in Lyon county, and he has resided here continuously since. He farms 240 acres on section 10, Coon Creek township. He also raises stock, such as Duroc-Jersey hogs and grade cattle, and is a stockholder in the Farmers Co-operative Store Company of Russell. Mr. Supernatz is a member of the Catholic church.

On November 16, 1886, Mr. Supernatz was married to Caroline Cardinal, a daughter of Beloni and Rose Cardinal, of Canada. Mrs. Supernatz was bom November 5, 1858. To them have been born the following named ten children: Mary Louise and Deneige (twins), born September 27, 1887; Leah, born July 7, 1889; Albertfne, born February 13, 1891; Oscar, born May 5, 1892; Eugene, born September 8, 1893; Alexander, born September 30, 1894; Corinne, born December 15, 1895; Diana, born September 25, 1897; Hilda, born September 11, 1900. All the children reside at home.

FRANCIS J. PARKER (1878), who carries on his business under the title F. J. Parker Land Company of Marshall, is an early day resident of that city. He was born at Orwell. Oswego county, New York, July 27, 1848, the son of John and Polly Emmerson (Bonner) Parker, who were also natives of New York State.

Our subject grew to manhood on a farm in his native county and after reaching his majority took a position as clerk in the store of George Woodbury at Orwell. One year later he became a member of the firm, with which he was connected four years. He then sold his interest in the store and started a store of his own, which he conducted until

Ed. L. Heal; and for the nexl eleven years he conducted a grocery store. He then opened a real estate office, which he has since conducted. He deals in real estate, makes loans and writes insurance. .Mr. Parker owns several farms, which he manages. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum lodge.

.Mr. Parker was married at Orwell, New York, in 1870, to Flora Woodbury, a native of Oswego county, New York. She died January 16, 1906, at the age of fifty-four years. Mr. Parker has five children, as follows: Josephine A., Bernice (Mrs. Charles YVilber), of Minneapolis; Frances (Mrs. A. C. Anderson), of Minneapolis; Florence (Mrs. O. H. Holman), of Minneapolis; and John C.

Mrs. Axxa Louise Mellenthin

MRS. AXXA LOUISE MELLENTHIN (1884) is the widow of the late Charles Mellenthin, of Lynd township. Mrs. Mellenthin's maiden name was Anna Louise Schellin and she is a daughter of Ferdinand and Riche Schellin. When five years of age Anna accompanied her parents to America, locating on a farm in Waupaca county, Wisconsin. She made her home there with her parents until 1875, at which time she was married to Mr. Mellenthin.

Charles Mellenthin was a son of William and Amelia Mellenthin, early residents of Waupaca county, Wisconsin. He was one of the early settlers of Lynd township and one of its prosperous farmers. Mr. Mellenthin died March 22, 1898. Mr. and Mrs. Mellenthin were the parents of the following children: William, born December 22, 1879; Frank, born February 11, 1882; George, born May 15, 1883; Clara, born July 12, 1885; Albert, born March 8, 1887; Elsie, born October 6, 1893. All except William and Frank make their home with their mother. Since Mr. Mellenthin's death Mrs. Mellenthin has continued her residence on the home farm, which is operated by her sons.

two residence properties in Tracy and has charge of many acres of farming land in Ly.on and Redwood counties, among them being the estate of W. L. Breckenridge, which he has looked after the past six years.

Our subject was born in Washington county, Iowa, October 29, 1852. When about six weeks old he was taken with the family to Ripley county, Indiana, and lived there until fifteen years of age, when the family again moved, tbis time settling in Olmsted county, Minnesota. There Robert resided until the spring of 1879, working on the farm. Then he went to Walnut Grove, Redwood county, and made that his home until moving to Tracy in 188 6, where he remained until taking up his residence on the farm in 1911.

During his Tracy residence Mr. Willis worked ten years for D. H. Evans in the elevator and hardware store. Three years he served the city as policeman, and later he bought grain for Finch & Parker and for the Eagle Roller Mill company. Mr. Willis conducted a dray line seven years. Our subject was alderman from the first ward two years. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. lodge of Tracy.

Robert E. Willis was married March 10, 1879, to Anna Dunnett, at Rochester, Minnesota. Mrs. Willis was born near that city December 18, 18 56. To this union have been born two children, Ralph A., on January 12, 1887; and Reid R., on January 7, 1892.

Robert S. Willis, father of our subject, was born in Kentucky May 4, 1819, and died at the age of eighty-two years in Minneapolis. He served in Company A, Eighty-third Indiana Regiment, during the war and was discharged on account of poor health after an active service of two years and seven months. His wife, Eliza (Richardson) Willis, was born in New York State and died in 1883, aged sixtyseven years.

ROBERT E. WILLIS (1886), after many years of business life in Tracy, moved to his farm, the northeast quarter of section 12, Monroe township, in the fall of 1911. He bought the farm in 1892 and had it farmed by a tenant until moving on the place himself. Mr. Willis owns

GUSTAV THIEL (1896) is one of the large land owners and progressive farmers of Stanley township. He owns three quarter sections of good farming land, has a well improved farm and one of the finest homes in the precinct.

The gentleman whose name heads this review was born in Stiglite, Germany, December 13, 1866, the son of Gutlip and Ernestina Thiel. The father was born February 29, 1820, and died in Stanley township in 1905. The mother was born April 2 0, 1842, and still resides in Stanley township.

In 187 0 Gustav Thiel came to America with his parents, and until his arrival to Lyon county in 1896 he lived in Green Lake county, Wisconsin. There he attended school until nineteen years of age, and after that he worked on his father's farm. When the family came to Lyon county the father purchased a section of land in Stanley township. Gustav fell heir to the northeast quarter of section 17 and later purchased the west half of the same section, making him a farm of 480 acres in one piece.

For twelve years Mr. Thiel has been clerk of his township and for eight years clerk of school district No. 90. He is a member of the German Lutheran church of Cottonwood.

Mr. Thiel was married at Marshall March 16, 1904, to Marie L. Rigge. She is the daughter of the late Gutlip Rigge. who died July 18, 1911. Her mother, Fredericka Rigge, lives in Yellow Medicine county. Mr. and Mrs. Thiel have no children.

ARCH R. ENGLISH (1887) is a lawyer of Tracy and a native of Lyon county. He was born in Tracy December 18, 1887, and with the exception of a few years spent in Waseca he has ever since resided in the city in which he was born. After graduating from the Tracy High School he read law in the office of N. J. Robinson and was admitted to the bar March 2, 1910. On that date he formed a partnership with Mr. Robinson and has since engaged in practice as a member of the firm of Robinson & English. He is a member of the Gopher Club, a social organization.

Our subject is a son of Michael and Tillie (Boydell) English, residents of Tracy. The father was born in Vermont and the mother in Chicago. They came to Lyon county in 1887. There are three

Mr. English was married at Watertown, South Dakota, January 1, 1912, to Pearl D. Sturdevant, a native of Wisconsin and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Sturdevant.

.JOHN WILLIAM CASTLE (1885), of Clifton township, was born in Will county, Illinois, November 16, 1866, and is a son of William and Maria (Wilkinson) Castle, natives of England.

The parents came to the United States in 1865 and settled in Illinois, where the father farmed. There John William was born, and he was brought up on the farm, receiving an education in the country school and being called upon to help his father with the farm work. In June, 1884, the father came to Lyon county to look over the country and was so impressed that he bought the north half of section 4, Clifton township. In the fall of 1885 our subject, then a boy of nineteen, came up with a carload of horses and machinery, did some plowing on the place and prepared the land for the next year's crop. The following spring his parents and the rest of the family moved from Illinois to the new home.

John William Castle resided with his parents on the farm on section 24 until 1891. That year he bought the southwest quarter of section 14 and started farming for himself. He has today a well-improved place and is raising cattle for market in addition to his general farming. He is active in township affairs and was for ten years on the district school board. He served three years as a member of the township board.

The subject of this sketch was married in Balaton January 1, 1891, to Lorinda Robinson. She is a daughter of George and Samantha Anne (Hillyar) Robinson. Her father is dead; her mother lives in Wisconsin. To Mr. and Mrs. John W. Castle the following children were born: Anna L., born February 2, 1893; Hazel I. (deceased), born May 20, 1894; Paul L.. born June 5, 1895; George W., born March 13, 1897; Dorothy L., born OctolUOfiKAPIIICAL HISTORY.

.Mr. and Mrs. Castle are members of the Methodist church. His fraternal associations are with the Modern Woodmen and Brotherhood of American Yeomen lodges, to the last named of which Mrs. Castle also belongs.

.Mrs. Castle is the owner of a store building in Dudley and conducted a store and postoffice there three years. Before her marriage she was a teacher. She taught school three and one-half years in Wisconsin before coming to Lyon county and she taught three years here. In 1888 she was recommended for county superintendent of schools, but refused to run.

ALBERT J. HELLUM (1885) is a Coon Creek township farmer who has resided in Lyon county over a quarter of a century. He is a native of Svelveg, Norway, where he wras born January 4, 1859, and is the son of John and Ingeborg Louise Helium, both deceased.

Albert Helium received his schooling in the land of his birth, attending until seventeen years of age. He then assisted his father with the farm work until twentytwo years of age. In 1881 he came to America and located at Tyler, where he resided four years, engaging in various lines of work. In 18 85 he purchased the land upon which he now resides, consisting of 120 acres on section 7, Coon Creek township. In addition to his farm labors, he raises some stock, including Poland China hogs, Jersey cattle and Rhode Island Red chickens. Mr Helium is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church, has been clerk of school district No. 66 for several years, and was road overseer three years. He is a stockholder of the Farmers Elevator Company of Russell and is a successful farmer and stock raiser.

Mr. Helium was married to Bergette Christensen on March 12, 1886. She is a daughter of Rasmus and Andrina Christensen, of Coon Creek township, and a native of Helgeon, Norway, having been born August 19, 1868. Mr. and Mrs. Helium are the parents of the following eleven

URBANE WILHELM (1894) is the vice president and one of the directors of the First National Bank of Balaton. He is a native of Minnesota and was born in Houston county December 27, 1872, a son of Michael and Elizabeth (Neisel) Wilhelm, pioneer residents of Minnesota. The parents came to the state in 1859 and resided in Houston county until their deaths, the father having died in 18 81 and the mother in 1893.

Our subject received his early education in the common schools of Houston county, which he attended until sixteen years of age. He then engaged in farming until 18 93, after which he attended La Crosse Business College one year. The year 1894 was the date of arrival of Mr. Wilhelm to Lyon county, when he settled in Balaton. He engaged in the furniture and implement business with a brother, O. E. Wilhelm, which they continued five years. Our subject then continued the business alone two years, aft^r which he was employed as expert mechanic for the International Harvester Company five years.

The next move of Mr. Wilhelm was his return to Houston county, where he resided on the old home farm two years. He then returned to Balaton, where he was employed as clerk and manager for the Lyon County Co-operative Company two years. On November 1, 1910, Mr. Wilhelm became assistant cashier of the First National Bank, which position he held until he was made first vice president on January 1, 1912.

Mr. Wilhelm is a member of the Presbyterian church of Balaton. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen lodge and is assessor of the village of Balaton. He

On June 3, 1896, occurred the marriage of our subject to Emma Weeks, a native of Lyon county and a daughter of E. R. Weeks. She was born June 30, 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Wilhelm are the parents of one child, Glen Wallace, born May 13, 1905.

PETER H. OLSON (1879) is a furniture dealer of Tracy. He was born in the land of the midnight sun on June 22, 1860, a son of Ole and Belle Olson. The father died in Norway. The mother came to the United States with her son, Peter, in 1879 and died in Tracy July 10, 1900. Peter is one of a family of six children, as follows: Gilbert Iverson, a half-brother; Alice, Tora, Henry and Belle Olson.

Peter resided in the land of his birth until 1879, when he came to America and to Lyon county. He located at Tracy and learned the carpenter's trade, which occupation he followed twenty years. He was then engaged for ten years as clerk and as cabinetmaker for J. W. Campbell, the furniture man, at Tracy. In August, 1911, Mr. Olson purchased a stock of furniture and opened a store in the city in which he has lived so long. He also does repairing and upholstering. Our subject is a member of the Sons of Norway lodge.

On October 12, 1883, occurred the marriage at Tracy of Mr. Olson to Julia Larson, a native of Iowa. Mrs. Olson died March 23, 1901. They were the parents of the following children: Oluf G., Clara B., Ludwig A., Clarence B., Lillian M. and Gilbert H. The last named died August 8, 1901, aged four years.

MRS. ANGELINE SANDERS (1885) owns a 160-acre farm on section 19, Vallers township, and is assisted in its management by her sons, Anton F. and Peter J. She is the widow of Anton J. Sanders and has lived in the county more than a quarter of a century.

Angeline Vanderburg was the maiden name of our subject. She was born in Holland in September, 1857. She was married in that country in 1885 to Anton J. Sanders and the same year the young couple journeyed across the water to Lyon county. They bought a farm in Grandview7 township, lived there awhile, and then sold and invested in Westerheim township. They farmed in that precinct until 1900 and then bought and located on the present place. Mr. Sanders died in 1909. Mrs. Sanders is the mother of the following named children: John A., a blacksmith of Geyser, Montana; Theodore F., a farmer of Stark county, North Dakota; Peter, a blacksmith of Sweetgrass, Montana; Arnold T., a farmer of Red Lake Falls, Minnesota; Bernard A., of Lyon county; Anton and Peter J., who conduct the home farm.

EDWARD V. BURT (1878) farms the west half of section 24, Coon Creek township, and is a successful farmer of that precinct. He has resided in Lyon county since he was one year of age and is the son of the first settler of Coon Creek township. The farm is still owned by the pioneer resident.

Edward is a son of Dallas S. and Mary Burt. Dallas Burt was born in New York State September 11, 1845. He came to Lyon county in 1876 and took a claim in Amiret township. Two years later he homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 24, Coon Creek township. He now lives at Minetto, New York. The mother of our subject was born in Wisconsin September 11, 1856, and died February 5, 1911. There are five sons in the family, as follows: Edward and Mynard, of Russell; Benjamin, of Northcote, Minnesota; Budd H., of Winnipeg, Canada; and Charles, of Russell.

The subject of this biography was born in Minetto, Oswego county, New York, July 23, 1877, and when one year of age came to Lyon county with his parents. For four years he attended the school of district No. 63, and then until nineteen years of age he was a student at the Russell school. Thereafter for a few years Mr. Burt worked out as a farm hand. He was married in 1901 and moved to Russell, where he spent two years working on the railroad. In 1903 he moved to the farm which he now operates.

First Log Cabin In Coon Creek

Erected by D. S. Burt in 1870. Indians Assisted the Pioneer in Rolling Up the Last Logs. In the Photograph are Mr. Burt and Mr. and Mrs. L. P. Knapp.

The Burt Home Of Today

Mr. Burt raises Durham cattle, Duroc- Jersey hogs and Rhode Island Red and Plymouth Rock chickens. He has stock in the Lyon County Co-operative Store Company and the Farmers Mutual Telephone Company. He is a member of the Presbyterian church of Russell and is treasurer of the church society. -He holds membership in the M. W. A. and Royal Neighbors lodges.

The marriage of Mr. Burt to Pearl May Clow occurred in Lyon county June 18, 1901. She was born in Iowa July 21, 1885, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O. W Clow, of Winnebago City. Mr. Clow was born in Blue Earth county, Minnesota, in 18 61. Mrs. Clow was born at Liscomb, Iowa, in 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Burt have four children: Earl Le Roy, Jessie May, Charles Edward and Marion Clare.

HERMAN JOSEPHSON (1878), Westerheim township farmer, has spent the greater part of his life in Lyon county. He was born in Iceland July 1, 1860, and came to America and Lyon county in 1878. He worked as a farm hand until 1892. Then he bought the northeast quarter of section 16, Westerheim township, made all the improvements on the place, and has had his home there since. He has prospered and is now the owner of 200 acres in one body. He farms all his land and 160 acres additional.

Mr. Josephson was married in Lincoln county to Bertha Josephson. She was also a native of Iceland and died April 6, 1905. The following five children were born to the union: August, John, Rosa, Lillian and Adalbjorn. The second marriage of Mr. Josephson was to Christina Thordarson, also a native of the land within the Arctic circle. They have four children, Sigpora, Herman, Johina and Josephina.

PAUL K. RONNING (1878) is a retired farmer living in the village of Florence. He is a pioneer resident of Lyon county, having come in 1878. He is a native of Norway and was born at Trondhjem January 25, 1845, a son of Knute E. and Marit (Paulsen) Ronning.

in the land of his nativity, attending the common schools until fifteen years of age and then attending a Lutheran religious school one year. After completing his schooling, Paul worked at farm labor in the land of the midnight sun until twenty-seven years of age. Then he came to America and located at Ishpeming, Michigan, where he worked in the mines two years. He then journeyed to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he worked in the woods and sawmills three years. Moving to Canada, he worked on the Canadian Pacific railroad one year and then returned to Wisconsin, where he spent one summer on the railroad.

In the fall of 1878 Mr. Ronning came to Lyon county and took as a homestead the southwest quarter of section 32, Shelburne township, upon which he resided until moving to Florence. He is the owner of 260 acres of fine land in Shelburne township and a fine home in the village of Florence. Mr. Ronning is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

On January 3, 1880, occurred the marriage of Mr. Ronning to Melina Peterson, a native of Norway and a daughter of Peter A. and Carrie (Corneliuson) Sanden. Mrs. Ronning was born November 30, 1849. Two nephews, Clare M. and Palmar Carl Sanden, make their homes with Mr. and Mrs. Ronning.

HALVOR A. STORLIE (1887) is the owner of over 200 acres of the fertile soil of Shelburne township and is one of the precinct's substantial farmers. He has lived in the county a quarter of a century. His farm is in the southwestern corner of the county, a couple of miles south of Florence.

Mr. Storlie is a native of Opdal, Trondhjem, Norway, and was born January 27, 1866. Until after reaching his majority he lived in his native land, attending school and working at farm labor. He came to the United States in 1887 and direct to Lyon county, arriving in the county October 12. Prior to 1893 Mr. Storlie worked for the farmers of Shelburne township; then he purchased land on section 28, of that township, broke out a part of it, and started in business for himself. Soon after he traded that farm for one of 100 acres on section 32, and there he has ever since lived. He added to his holdings in January, 1910, by the purchase of

For the past seven years Mr. Storlie has been a member of the Board of Supervisors of his township, was a director of school district No. 57 for six years, and was road overseer three years. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Florence and is treasurer of the church society.

Our subject's father, Arnt O. Storlie. died in the old country in 1883; his mother still lives in Opdal. The children of the family are Sakarias, Christopher A. and Maret (Mrs. Andrew Sanden), of Lyon county, and Ole and John, of Norway.

H. A. Storlie and Maret Bakke were married in Shelburne township April 15, 1897, by Rev. H. Aanestead. Mrs. Storlie was born in Norway August 2, 1875, the daughter of Severt O. and Guri (Standsdater) Bakke. The family came to America in 1883, lived in Yellow Medicine county until 1891, and since that date have resided in Lac qui Parle county. Besides Mrs. Storlie there are the following named children in the family, with one exception all living in Lac qui Parle county: Ole, Oliver, of St. John's, Oregon; Robert, John, Ragna (Mrs. Jamep Ravang), Hilda, Olga (Mrs. William Wilson), Lena, Mena and Gena.

ABNER G. BUMFORD (1879), clerk of the district court of Lyon county, is one of the homesteaders and pioneer settlers of the county. He was born at Racine, Wisconsin, March 24, 1858, and there he resided until past twenty-one years of age. He secured a district school education and during the winter of 1877-78 attended Cobb Business College at Paynesville, Ohio.

In November, 1879, Mr. Bumford arrived in Lyon county, of which he has ever since been a resident. He bought a homestead relinquishment to eighty acres on section 22, Custer township, improved the place, and proved up on it. Later he bought an adjoining quarter on section 23. In 1902 he was elected clerk of court and has ever since held the office, making his home at the county seat.

During his residence in the county Mr. Bumford held several local offices. He was clerk of school district No. 47 for twenty-one years and was town clerk fourteen years. He served as clerk of Bethel Congregational Church for many years. He holds membership in the Workmen, Woodmen and Yeomen orders. Mr. Bumford was one of the principal organizers of the Western Mutual Insurance Company of Balaton, one of the most prosperous insurance companies in this part of the state, and was a director for a number of years. He also served as secretary of the Garvin Creamery Company, the only farmers' co-operative creamery in Lyon county.

Abner Bumford was married in Lyon county June 22, 1881, to Laura A. Davis. She is a native of Wales, came to America at the age of six years, settled in Blue Earth county. Minnesota, in 1872 and in Lyon county in 1874. Her parents took as a homestead claim the southeast quarter of section 34, Sodus township. Mr. Davis died in September, 1887, and Mrs. Davis died at the home of her daughter August 31, 1910.

Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bumford, of whom the following named five are living: M. Eleanor, David, of Windham, Montana; Mary, a student at Grinnell College; Laura and Gordon, high school students. The deceased children were Myrthen, who died in September, 1899, at the age of two years; William O., who died in March, 1900, at the age of seventeen years; Jennie, who died April 1, 1903, at the age of four years; Clay, who died June 2, 1903, at the age of two years; and Cradoc, who died March 31, 1908, at the age of twenty years.

The subject of this sketch is the son of the late David and Ellen (Roberts) Bumford, natives of Wales. The mother died in July, 1861. David Bumford came to Lyon county in 1877, took a homestead in Monroe township, and for some time prior to his death in December, 1889, made his home with his son Abner.

PETER H. JERPBAK (1890), of Nordland township, owns and farms the south half of the southwest quarter of section 10. He became a resident of Lyon county twenty-two years ago, but his residence in Lincoln county dates back much farther, having been only

.Jens and Hannah Jerpbak, the parents of our subject, came from Norway in 1S75 and became the first settlers of Limestone township, Lincoln county. They took a homestead there and for a few years the family was the only one in the township. Jens Jerpbak now makes his home with our subject: his wife is dead. There were eleven children in the family, of whom the following named are living: John and Iver, of South Dakota; Jens, of North Dakota; Gilda (Mrs. John Solseng), of Larimore, North Dakota; Carrie (Mrs. Silas Edwards), of McKenna, North Dakota; Mary (Mrs. Guile Olson), of Clearwater, Idaho; Ingeborg (Mrs. Chris Clemensen), of Bemidji, Minnesota; Dena (Mrs. Gisla Hanson), of Clearwater, Idaho; and Peter H., of this review.

The gentleman whose name heads this sketch was born in Norway February 16, 1868. He came to America with the family in 1875 and spent his boyhood days on the homestead in Lincoln county, securing a common school education and assisting with the farm work. In 1890 he rented land in Grandview township, Lyon county, and farmed it two years. He then returned to the parental home and resided there two years, working for his father, conducting a threshing machine, and farming land he had bought on section 30, Nordland township.

In 1894 Mr. Jerpbak was married and moved to his 240-acre farm on sections 30 and 19, Nordland. He conducted that place until the fall of 1910, when he moved to his present farm on section 10, which he bought the year before, having sold his other farm. He has a well-improved place and engages quite extensively in raising stock.

Mr. Jerpbak is a member and one of the trustees of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Nordland township. He holds membership in the M. W. A. lodge of Minneota. For about fourteen years he was clerk of school district No. 29 and he served as road overseer for a short time. Mr. Jerpbak has stock in the Farmers Elevator Company of Minneota.

The marriage of our subject to Hannah Teigland occurred in Nordland township November 21, 1894. His wife is a native of Lyon county and was born October 3, 1874, a daughter of pioneer settlers, Sever and

Anna Teigland. Mr. and Mrs. Jerpbak have nine children, all living at home. They are Selnier, Jens, Henry, George, Leonard, Alma, Clara, Anna and Luella.

DR. CARL E. WHITING (1887), Marshall dentist, was born near Rochester, Minnesota, June 1, 1883, a son of William S. and Aura (Freeman) Whiting. The family located in Balaton in 1887 and the father engaged in the mercantile business there until 1908. He has since been a traveling salesman and he and his wife live in Northfield.

Carl Whiting attended school in Balaton until 1901. He then took a one-year com-se in Macalester College, St. Paul, after which he was a student in the Dental Department of Northwestern University, Chicago, from which he was graduated in May, 1905. Dr. Whiting began the practice of his profession 'at Arlington, South Dakota, and remained there until 1912. That year he located in Marshall, bought the dental business of Dr. John D. Kennedy, and has since engaged in practice. He has a well equipped office and is well patronized.

Dr. Whiting was married at Marshall June 28, 1907, to Leora Watkins, a native of the county. Mrs. Whiting died in Marshall May 8, 1912. There is one child, Frances F., born July 28, 1908.

JOHN H. LEAS (1903) is the owner of a well-improved 480-acre farm in Stanley township and makes his home in Cottonwood, where he has a fine residence. For the past five years, in addition to looking after his farm, he has made a specialty of tile and drainage engineering and has done considerable of this work.

Mr. Leas was born at Rossville, Iowa, February 21, 1861, and is a son of Jeremiah and Susannah (Henderson) Leas, both of whom are living a retired life in Rossville. Our subject received his early education in the common schools near his native town and later attended the Waukon Private Seminary at Waukon, Iowa, until twenty-two years old. ITo then returned to the home farm and worked three years. Mr. Leas married Ida May Kelly on February 23, 1886. She was born July 12, 1866, and is a daughter of John and Jane (Lewis) Kelly, former residents of Rossville, and both now deceased. After his marriage Mr. Leas engaged in farming near his old home seven years and then went into Sunday School work.

Mr. Leas affiliated with the Presbyterian church when quite young. In May, 1903, the American Sunday School Union engaged him to do Sunday School organizing work in Rock county, Wisconsin, where he labored two years. Accepting a commission under the Mankato Division of the Presbyterian Board of Sabbath School Work, Mr. Leas was engaged for the next ten years in Minnesota, finally being forced to give up his work on account of ill health. Our subject was responsible for the organization of thirtytwo Presbyterian churches and for raising funds for building several churches in Southwestern Minnesota. He started the organization and helped to raise funds for the Clifton and Green Valley churches in Lyon, county.

To Mr. Leas is due much credit for the. success of the Y. M. C. A. movement in Cottonwood. That organization has a membership of twenty-nine young men, aged eleven to seventeen, in Cottonwood and vicinity. The organization is active under Mr. Leas' leadership and is increasing in numbers. Meetings are held every Tuesday evening at 7:30 at the Y. M. C. A. rooms in Cottonwood, and since the organization was started in October, 1909, much interest in the work has been evident. Mr. Leas is an elder of the First Presbyterian Church and has for a number of years been superintendent of the Sunday School.

ARNI S. JOSEPHSON (1895) is one of the big grain farmers and stock raisers of Eidsvold township and one of the most progressive men of northwestern Lyon county. His progress is an example of what can be accomplished by intelligence and thrift. Less than twenty years ago he came to Lyon county from Iceland, without knowledge of the language or customs of the country and without a dollar to his name. So poor was he, in fact, that he had to borrow money to buy his first sack of flour. His first employment was hauling hay at twenty-five cents per day.

Today Mr. Josephson is the owner of 400 acres of improved land in Eidsvold township, one of the finest farm homes in Lyon county, and large herds of cattle, hogs and sheep. With the assistance of his sons, Helgi and Frank, he farms all his land. In 1910 he threshed 6000 bushels of small grain, and in 1912 he has planted one hundred acres of corn and 200 acres of grain. During the winter of 1911-12 he shipped a car load each of cattle, hogs and sheep.

When Mr. Josephson purchased his present farm a few years ago the only improvement it boasted was an old house, 18x24 feet. Xow there is not a farm in the county that is better improved. He has erected an entire new set of outbuildings, including two silos, and has fenced the whole farm. The house, erected at a cost of $4000, is two and one-half stories high and contains thirteen rooms besides the basement rooms. It is modern in every respect, having hot and cold soft water, bath rooms, and is heated by a hot water plant. All the rooms on the lower floor are finished in oak and three of the rooms are hand decorated.

The gentleman who has accomplished this was born in Iceland August 27, 1861, the son of Sigfus and Wilborg (Arniedottir) Josephson. The mother died in the old country in 1890; the father, who is now eighty-one years of age, lives with his son. The only other child in the family is Mat Josephson, of Winnipeg, Canada.

Ami lived with his parents in Iceland until his mother's death in 1890. Then the father came to America, and our subject, who had married, remained behind with the rest of the family. He followed in 1895 and arrived in Minneota on August 29. After working at farm labor one year, he moved to Marshall, and for three years he was employed by a contractor there. Mr. Josephson then purchased a quarter section of land on section 6, Limestone township, Lincoln county, and farmed there nine years. He prospered, bought an additional eighty acres in Marble township, and later another quarter in Alta Vista township.

In 1908 Mr. Josephson traded his 400 acres of Lincoln county land for an equal number of acres in Eidsvold township, Lyon county, moved to the new home, and has made the improvements as above noted. His land is described as follows: The south half of the north half of section 12, Eidsvold, and the northwest quarter and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 7, Westerheim. .Mrs. Josephson and the children are members of the Icelandic Lutheran church of Westerheim township.

The first marriage of Mr. Josephson occurred in Iceland in 1889, when he wedded Predrickka Helgadottir. She bore him two sons, Helgi and Frank, and died November 27, 1896, at the age of twenty-five years. Our subject's second marriage was to Bjorg Jonesdottir, who died three years later. Three children were born to the union, Anna, Sigurd and Fredrickka. In February, 1902, Mr. Josephson was married to Olina Sigridur, also a native of the land of snow within the Arctic circle. They have five children, named as follows: Margaret, Maria, Oscar, Olina and Gudrun.

THEODORE STASSEN (1891), saloon keeper and hotel proprietor, has been a resident of Lyon county for the past twenty-one years and has been living in Ghent for eleven years. Theodore and his brother Mike are joint owners and proprietors of the Exchange Hotel and sample rooms and of the Stassen Brothers Saloon. Theodore is a director of the Ghent Rural Telephone Company and is a shareholder of the Lyon County Agricultural Association. He is a member of the Catholic church, and fraternally he is allied with the C. O. F, lodge, of which he is treasurer.

Our subject was born in Belgium May 17, 1870. His parents are Louis and Katrina Elizabeth (Mulleneers) Stassen, both of whom are residents of Fairview township. Theodore received his education in Belgium and later worked for his father at farm labor, both before and after the family moved to this country in 1891. The family located in Fairview township, where the parents now live.

In 1897 the young man started out for himself and farmed for different people in the county for the following four years. In company with Casper Van Allvorst he then engaged in the saloon business at Ghent, selling out to Julius Vander Vanett after one year's experience. He was not long idle, however, and within a few weeks had purchased the saloon of Arthur Gits, continued the business at its former location one year, and then moved the stock and fixtures to the Fred Lerschen building. In this building for the past seven years the saloon has been conducted under the firm name of Stassen Brothers, and Theodore has been associated with his brother Mike, both in the saloon and in the management of the Exchange Hotel.

Theodore Stassen was married October 27, 1903, to Delia Bankers, a native of Pierre, Wisconsin. Three children have been born to this union, two of whom are living. Adeline Annie died April 18, 1911, aged four months. The other children, a boy and a girl, are named Joseph and Evelyn Mary Elizabeth.

JOHN ALLECKSON (1886) owns and farms the northeast quarter of section 6, Island Lake township. Although he has been a resident of Lyon county only twenty-five years, he is a pioneer of Southwestern Minnesota and a homesteader of Lincoln county.

His parents were Jens and Ragna (Spllde) Alleckson, who came from Norway in 1846 and made settlement in Dane county, Wisconsin. They later moved to Juneau county of the same state, and there the subject of this review was born, on December 10, 1855.

In his native county John Alleckson secured his education and grew to manhood on the farm. In 1879 he moved to Lincoln county, Minnesota, and took a homestead. He secured title to the land and engaged in farming there seven years. In 188 6 he disposed of his Lincoln county property, moved to his Lyon county farm, and remained there until 1894. That year he moved to Minneota and for thirteen years was engaged in the livery business. Mr. Alleckson bought a quarter section farm in Eidsvold township in 1895 and disposed of it in 1909. In 1910 he moved to his present farm in Island Lake.

In Juneau county, Wisconsin, on October 15, 1872, Mr. Alleckson was united in marriage to Torbur Ortun. She was born in Norway on Christmas Day, 1857, and died in 1886. The second marriage of

Mr. Alleckson occurred in Lyon county July 22, 1889, when he wedded Augustine Wolfe. She was born in Iceland August 17, 1872, the daughter of Arne and Sarah (Johnson) Wolfe. Mr. Alleckson has ten children, named as follows: Bertha C, Lulu, Theodore J., Alleck J., Andrew F., Mabel J., Marvin G., Antha, Peter J., Samuel A. and Freda H. The family are members of the Lutheran church.

HAXS PETERSON (1887) owns and farms the south half of the southwest quarter of section 19, Lyons township. He is a native of Denmark and was born May 28, 1851. Hans received his schooling and grew to manhood in the land of his birth and served one and one-half years in the standing army. His parents are Peter and Kristina (Jergenson) Rasmusson.

In 1883 our subject came to the United States and located at Maquoketa, Jackson county, Iowa, where he worked four years in a limekiln. In 1887 he came to Lyon county, having purchased eighty acres in Coon Creek township. Later he purchased the eighty acres in Lyons township where he now resides. Mr. Peterson served one term on the Township Board of Supervisors of Coon Creek township and three terms as assessor. He served as assessor of Russell seven or eight years and one term on the Township Board of Supervisor*. He is a member of the Danish Lutheran church and the Masonic and Workmen lodges.

Mr. Peterson was married in Denmark to Ellen Peterson, a daughter of Peter and Ellen Jensen. Mrs. Peterson was born in Denmark October 14, 1844. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are the parents of the following four children: Jens P., Hans C, William C. and Carrie K.

ARTHUR J. KILE (1883) is the proprietor of a harness shop in Minneota and is the oldest merchant in the village in point of continuous service, with the exception of Dr. Seals. He has taken an active part in the affairs of the village which he has seen grow from a hamlet of small pretentions.

his life. He was born in Houston county April 2, 1867, and in 1879 he accompanied the family to Lincoln county. The father homesteaded land in Limestone township, but the following year the family returned to their former home. Arthur lived with his folks three years and then became a resident of Lyon county. For a short time he worked for farmers in the vicinity of Minneota and in 1884 he started a harness shop in the village with a capital of $12 5. He had no previous experience in the business and learned the trade from A. E. Winters after establishing the business.

Mr. Kile met with success in the business and has ever since continued it, a continuous period of twenty-eight years. He manufactures harness and deals in harness goods, blankets, whips, robes, etc. Mr. Kile is one of the stockholders of the Farmers & Merchants Bank and during the past three years has been vice president of that institution. He has served as a member of the Village Council and is a member of the M. W. A. lodge. He has a one-half interest in a farm in Yellow Medicine county.

The father of our subject was George Kile, who, after returning to Houston county in 1880, resided there thirteen years and then moved to Madison, Minnesota, and lived with a daughter until his death on February 28, 1911, at the age of eightyfour years. Barbara Kile, our subject's mother, died August 17, 1895. Arthur is the youngest of a family of six children, the others being as follows: Fred, of Houston county; Mrs. Minnie Kitzniger, of Madison, Minnesota; George, of Houston county; Sam, who perished in the October storm of 1880, an account of whose death may be found in the historical part of this volume; Mrs. G. C. Mantel, of Spokane, Washington.

Arthur Kile was married in Madison, Minnesota, August 10, 1894, to Betsey Uglem, who was born in Norway and who came to the United States when seven years old. They have three children, Bulah, Harold and Barbara.

born In Sweden June 7, 1859' His parents, Erick and Stena (Johnson) Erickson, came to America in 1ST", lived at .Mankato two years, and then took a homestead in Murray county. The father died there and the mother still lives on the old homestead.

When he was eleven years of age our subject came to America with his mother and sisters, the father having come some time before. When the Winona & St. Peter railroad was constructed through Lyon county in the summer of 1872, although he was only a child, John Erickson worked with the construction crew. In the fall of that year he moved to his father's homestead in Murray county and for several years lived with his parents. He then worked at various occupations in different parts of Minnesota. In 1878 he went to Northfield and for six years was engaged in farming in Scott county.

In 1885 Mr. Erickson sold a farm he owned in Scott county and purchased the land he now resides on in Shelburne township, 240 acres on sections 36 and 35. Two years later he moved to his farm and has ever since resided thereon. Mr. Erickson has prospered since coming to Lyon county and has been very successful. He raises Shorthorn cattle, Poland China hogs, Percheron horses and full-blooded chickens.

Mr. Erickson was married in Scott county April 1, 1880, to Junala Olson. She was born in Norway February 22, 1862, and came to America with her parents when four years of age. The family lived in Goodhue county and later in Scott county, where her parents still reside. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Erickson: Clara, Sophia, Erick, Anton, Elmer, Olda, Manda and Hannah.

FRED NIELSEN (1887). One of the prosperous farmers of Coon Creek township is Fred Nielsen, who resides on the east half of the northeast quarter of section 36. He was born in Denmark June 28, 1855, and received his education and grew up in that country. His parents are Niels and Annie D. (Jorgenson) Jensen, the former a day laborer in the old country.

has had to make his own way since. When twenty-two years of age he enlisted in the army and served one and one-half years. He then worked out two years, after which he came to the United States, locating in Jackson county, Iowa, where he worked at farm labor four years.

In 1887 Mr. Nielsen came to Lyon county and bought the farm in Coon Creek township which he still owns and operates. He has made all the improvements on the place, as the farm was all prairie when he moved there. He raises Poland China hogs and grade cattle and is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company of Russell. Mr. Nielsen is a member of the Danish Lutheran church of Tyler. He was road overseer in his township two years.

Mr. Nielsen was married at Tyler October 2, 1892, to Cecelia Nielsen, a native of Denmark and a daughter of Chris and Cecelia (Dahl) Nielsen. Mrs. Nielsen was born October 9, 1862. They are the parents of one child, Charles A., born November 30, 1893.

RAY D. BALDWIN (1879). For more than thirty-three years Ray D. Baldwin was a resident of Lyon county; in April, 1912, he moved to Forest Grove, Oregon, to make his future home. During his long residence in Lyon county, most of the time in Marshall, Ray was active in affairs of a local nature.

The subject of this review was born at Pilot Mound, Fillmore county, Minnesota, October 16, 1868, and on his father's homestead near that place spent his childhood days. He accompanied the family to Lyon county in 1879, lived on the farm in Stanley township until 1881, and thereafter resided in Marshall. He was educated in the Marshall High School and then learned the printer's trade. His first work at the trade was in the News-Messenger office in 1887 and with the exception of a very few years he was connected with that journal until his removal to Oregon in 1912. During that period he spent one and one-half years in the shingle business at Port Orchard, Washington, and in 1891- 92 was deputy county auditor under his father.

president of the Marshall Building and Loan Association and he was a member of the Marshall Fire Department from the time of its organization until he left the city. He was chief engineer of the department when the equipment consisted of the old fire engine. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen lodge.

Alice M. Bellingham became the wife of Ray Baldwin on September 27, 1898. She is a native of Lake Marshall township and the daughter of Charles Bellingham, one of the earliest settlers of the precinct, who took a homestead claim on section 2 0. Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin have two children: Ray D., Jr., aged twelve; and Gertrude, aged seven.

Our subject's maiden name was Mary Reid, and she was born in New York February 3, 1864, her parents being John and Jane (Hunter) Reid. The father died when Mary was three months old and the family soon after moved to Canada, where our subject resided until twenty years of age. Her mother came to Lyon county in 1883 and made her home with a son in Amiret township until eight years ago, when the son died. Since that time Mrs. Reid has been a resident of Tracy.

Mary Reid came to Lyon county in the fall of 1884 and worked out as a maid several years. In October, 1892, occurred her marriage to Joseph Trout, a native of Pennsylvania and an early resident of Lyon county. Mr. Trout prospered greatly during his residence in the county and at the time of his death, May 27, 1903, he was the owner of 400 acres of land in Amiret township. His family have since then increased their holdings to 7 20 acres. By her marriage to Mr. Trout our subject became the mother of three children, as follows: Benjamin, born September 16, 1893; Rufus, born December 9, 1896; and Jennie, born November 15, 189*9. All the children are at home with their mother.

HERMAN F. RISTOW (1887) is a resident of Russell who was section foreman on sections twelve and thirteen of the Great Northern railway for twenty-two years. He has been a resident of Lyon county for a quarter of a century and was the second man to locate in the village of Russell. Herman was born in Adle Lantag, Germany, on December 15, 18 54, the son of Jacob and Katherine Caroline (Draves) Ristow, who died when our subject was only four years of age.

Herman attended school in Germany until fourteen years of age, after which he was engaged in the following lines of labor in the land of his nativity prior to coming to the United States: in a lock factory seven months, in railroad construction work five years, in the whiskey distilleries three years, and on the railroad doing section work for the government three years.

In August, 1885, Mr. Ristow came to the United States and located in Traverse county, Minnesota, where he worked with threshing crews and at farm labor two years. Then he came to Lyon county and engaged in similar work two years. He then worked for a year near Camden, helping in the construction of the Great Northern railroad. In March, 1888, he moved to the new village of Russell and worked as a section hand six months, after which he was given a position as foreman, which he held for twenty-two consecutive years, resigning in June, 1911.

In 1905 Mr. Ristow purchased a tract of land near Russell and now devotes his time to farming it. Besides his farm land he owns a nice home and two lots in Russell. He is a member of the German Lutheran church. He served three years as a director of the Russell School Board and one year as a member of the Town Board. Mr. Ristow has prospered since coming to Lyon county. He came to America penniless and experienced trying times of frontier life.

Louise (Sell) Bohlman. Mr. and Mrs. Risimv are the parents of the following named lorn- children: Otto, born May 15, 1882; Max, born November 19, 1884; Paul, born May 6, 1887; Albert (the first white child born in Russell), born July 29, 1889. Otto and Max were born at Eberstein, Germany, and Paul was born in Traverse county, Minnesota.

JOHN FRANKLIN BRANTNER (1898) is main buyer for the Western Elevator Company at Heckman. He was born in Ogle county, Illinois, August 14, 1854, a son of Michael and Mary (Phillips) Brantner, natives of Maryland. Both parents are deceased.

John resided with his parents in Illinois until twenty-five years of age, attending school and working for his father on the farm. In 1S79 he went to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he worked in a lumber yard two years for Ed. Sharp & Company, after which he worked one year at farm labor. The next four years were spent in the pineries near Shell Lake, Wisconsin. From there he went to Lake Preston, South Dakota, where he homesteaded a quarter section of land and resided three years, being also engaged in buying grain for the G. W. Van Dusen Elevator Company. He then moved to Elkton, South Dakota, where he had charge of the O. L. Marfield elevator fifteen years.

In 1901 Mr. Brantner moved to Marshall and had charge of the O. L. Marfield elevator three years. He then went to Heckman, took charge of the Western Elevator Company's house, and has resided there since. He deals in grain and coal. Heckman is quite a shipping point for hay, grain and stock. In 1901 a postoffice was established at Heckman and Mrs. Brantner was appointed postmistress. She has held the position continuously since. Mr. Brantner holds membership in the Masonic lodge.

At Elkton, South Dakota, December 11, 1888, occurred the marriage of Mr. Brantner to Julia Enke, a daughter of John C. and Marie (Schmelzer) Enke, of Verdi, Minnesota. Mrs. Brantner was born at Omaha, Nebraska, June 15, 1866. To Mr. and Mrs. Brantner have been born the following four children: Cecil F., born August 24, 1892;

JOHN BREEN (1S84), one of Westerheim township's well-known farmers, was born in the county of Kerry, Ireland, October 7, 1849. His parents died while John was a boy, and at the age of sixteen he came to America. He landed in Boston and immediately found an opportunity to learn the leather finishing trade in a courier's leather factory. He worked at the trade eight years, part of the time attending night school and finishing his education.

In 1875 young Breen went to Missouri, purchased eighty acres of land in Knox county, and farmed five years. He then went to Chicago and took up his trade again, continuing at that work two years. He came to Lyon county in 1884 and purchased the southwest quarter of section 35, Westerheim township, where he has since lived. There were no improvements on the place and Mr. Breen has planted the groves, constructed the buildings and farmed the land to its best advantage; today he has one of the best improved pieces of farm land in the township. He has found the raising of cattle a profitable business and every year ships a carload of fattened steers and hogs to market. In addition to his 466 acres of Lyon county land Mr. Breen owns some good lands in Canada.

Our subject is a stockholder and vice president of the First State Bank of Ghent, and he was one of the organizers and is the president of the Farmers Co-operative Elevator Company of the same place. He has been active in township affairs and has been for some time clerk of school district No. 44 and is on the board of supervisors.

John Breen's marriage to Margaret Mc- Mahon occurred in Chicago in 1874. To this union four children were born, as follows: Maurice, a real estate agent of Minneapolis; John, a business man of Lewiston; Mary (Mrs. William C. Ahem) of Minneota; and Nellie, a school teacher. Mrs. Breen died in 1883.

On November 21, 1890, our subject was married a second time, to Mary E. Mc- Loughen, the wedding taking place in Lincoln county, Minnesota. She was born in

Boston, Massachusetts, and moved with her parents to Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, where they lived several years, finally locating in Lincoln county. To this second marriage the following children were born: Sarah, a clerk in Marshall; Henry, a Marshall High School student; Bessie, Jerry and James, at home on the farm.

The subject of this sketch is one of six children bom to Maurice and Ellen (Courtney) Breen. The other children are Jerry, of Winchester, Massachusetts; Maurice, of Philadelphia; Catherine (Mrs. Patrick Sullivan), of Winchester; and Patrick and Thomas, deceased.

A. M. MOORE (1880) is cashier of the First State Bank of Balaton, treasurer of the Village Council, and treasurer of the Western Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Balaton, a home company that carries two and a half million dollars insurance. Mr. Moore was made assistant cashier of the bank in 1902; in 1904 he was made cashier, which position he has held since.

The subject of this review was born in Cottonwood county, Minnesota, August 7, 1878, and when two years of age accompanied his parents to Balaton. After finishing his schooling he worked five years for the Northwestern Railroad Company as agent and operator in Minnesota and in North and South Dakota. In 1902 Mr. Moore entered upon his duties in the bank. He is a son of J. A. and Eva D. (Moore) Moore, the former a native of Massachusetts and the latter of Jackson county, Minnesota. The subject of this sketch holds membership in the Masonic and Workmen lodges.

On November 15, 1906, occurred the marriage of Mr. Moore to Lulu McNabb, a native of Balaton and a daughter of Archie McNabb, an early settler of that village. Mr. and Mrs. Moore have one child, Archie M.

ROBERT M. NEILL (1874), treasurer of Lyon county, is a native son and has spent his entire life within the county. He was bom in Lyons township May 3, 1874, on his father's homestead on section 26. He is the son of pioneer settlers, William and Agnes (Marshall) Neill, who came to the county in 1872, they having been born in Scotland. The mother died in 1891; the father now resides in Marshall and is associated with A. R. Chace in dealing in machinery and live stock.

Robert attended the district school and grew to young manhood on the farm. In 18S8 he became a student of the Marshall High School and was graduated from that institution with the class of 1893. After his school days he entered the grocery store of F. J. Parker as clerk and was so employed several years. He then took a position as bookkeeper with the H. W. Ross Lumber Company and two years later was promoted to the management of the Marshall yards. He resigned his position in 1906 to become a candidate for county treasurer and was elected (hat fall. He has been twice reelected and has since held the office. Prior to his election Mr. Neill served two years as treasurer of Marshall. He is a member of the Masonic Chapter, M. W. A. and B. A. Y. lodges.

Mr. Neill was married at Austin, Minnesota, August 17, 1897, to Minnie B. Andrew, a native of Canada. They have three children: Alice Marjorie, Clarence Leroy and Alieen Gwendolyn.

OTTO WEKING (1885), of Lynd township, is a homesteader of Lyon county and has lived on the place he filed upon more than a quarter of a century ago.

Otto was born on his father's farm in Sweden August 22, 1859, and spent his boyhood days in his native land. He is the only one of the family to come to America. He has one brother and two sisters living in the old country; both of his parents are buried there. In 1880, when he was twenty-one years of age, Otto came to America. He worked in a malt house in Chicago two years, and for three years he worked in the coal mines in Grundy county, Illinois.

Mr. Weking came to Lyon county in 1885, bought the homestead right to the northwest quarter of section 6, Lynd township, proved up on the claim, and has made his home there ever since. He has a fine farm, improved with substantial buildings, all the product of his labors. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church and for eighteen years has been treasurer of school district No. 3S. Mr. W'eking is not married.

HENRY C. HEINE (1879) is one of Tracy's first merchants. He located there in 1879 and opened a hand-made shoe factory in a little building on the site of his present store. The original building was burned in 1891 and Mr. Heine then erected the fine two-story brick establishment which he now occupies. He is one of Tracy's foremost business men.

Henry Heine was born in Germany .March 26, 1851. At an early age he learned the shoemaker's trade. In 1871 he came to the United States, locating at Tomah, Wisconsin, near which place his sister, Mrs. Zahret, lived. He worked at his trade in Tomah for some time and later in the towns of Oronoco, Dodge Center, and Marshall, Minnesota, before moving to Tracy in 1879. A few years after locating in Tracy Mr. Heine opened a line of shoes in connection with his trade, and later he added other lines to the shoe stock. He has little by little built up a very successful mercantile trade in shoes, gent's furnishings, stationery, periodicals, etc.

Our subject was married at Tomah, Wisconsin, to Miss Pauline Hoffman, July 3, 1881. Five children have been born to this union. The eldest son, Adolph, died March 5, 1903. The living children are George, who is with his father in the store; Edward, of Snohomish, Washington; Walter, a high school student; and Louise. Mrs. Heine is a native of Germany and came to this country when a girl, locating with her parents at Tomah, Wisconsin.

ANDREW E. GREEN (1893) is the cashier of the State Bank of Florence. He was born in Murray county, Minnesota, on September 26, 1873, on his father's old homestead. He is a son of C. F. and Maria (Stina) Green, both natives of Sweden. They came to the United States in 1869 and homesteaded land in Murray county. They remained there until 1895, when they moved to Florence, where they now reside. They still own the old homestead and the northeast quarter of section 29, Shelbume township, which they took as a tree claim in the early seventies.

Our subject grew to manhood in Murray county and after receiving his common school education attended the Sioux Falls Business College. In 1893 he came to Lyon county and hical eel in Florence, where he entered the employ of the Inter-State Grain Company as grain buyer. He continued with that firm until 1896, when he entered the employ of the Northwestern Grain Company in the same capacity. He remained with the latter company until 1905, and then conducted a general store in Florence until 1907. In the latter year, in company with S. A. Christianson, of Hills, Minnesota, he organized the State Bank of Florence and has since been its cashier.

The State Bank of Florence was established June 1, 1908, and began business August 11, following. The bank was capitalized for $10,000 with the following officers: President, S. A. Christianson; vice president, M. O. Gorseth; cashier, A. E. Green; assistant cashier, H. H. Benson. The only change made in the officers since that date has been in the presidency, S. A. Christianson's brother, Peter, succeeding him as president. The above named men, together with S. A. Christianson, H. P. Sanden, Ed. Anderson and A. B. Larson, constitute the board of directors. They do a general banking and insurance business. The building which houses the institution was built the year the bank was opened.

The subject of this review is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church. He is a member of the Commandery of the Masonic lodge and also belongs to the Workmen order. Mr. Green has been clerk of school district No. 78 for a number of years and has held the office of justice of the peace.

On August 15, 1896, occurred the marriage of Mr. Green to Annie Johnson at Balaton. Mrs. Green is a native of Sweden. They are the parents of the following children: Alvin F., Harold G., Wallace V., Glen G. and Kenneth V.

MRS. JERDINE LOE (1886), widow of John Loe, owns and farms the northwest quarter of section 3, Lucas township. She was formerly Jerdine Eikeland and was born in Sokhendal, Norway, December 7, 18 69. Her parents, Jacob and Bertine

Her father died when she was ten or eleven years of age, and in 1886 she crossed the water with her mother, two sisters and a brother, the family establishing a home west of Cottonwood. Miss Eikeland was married to John Loe October 8, 1888. He was born in Norway September 30, 1862, a son of Ole and Eline Loe, both of whom are buried in the old country. He came to the United States and Lyon county in 188 5, bought the farm now conducted by his widow, and resided there until his death in 1907. He improved the farm and made it one of the fine homes of the township. With the assistance of her children, Mrs. Loe has managed the farm since her husband's death.

To Mr. and Mrs. Loe were born the following named ten children: Emelie B., Hannah (Mrs. Albert Cole), Benjamin, Hilda L., Clara (deceased), Ella, Edwin, Joseph G. and Judith C. All the children except the married daughter reside at home. The family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

CHRIST JOHNSON (1892) is the owner of 240 acres of land on section 2 5, Lyons township, and is one of the prosperous farmers of the precinct. He has lived in the county twenty years.

Mr. Johnson was born in Denmark February 24, 1871, the son of Jens and Margretta (Anderson) Olson. When eighteen years of age he came to America with his brother, Andrew, worked in a stone quarry at Joliet, Illinois, one year and then became a resident of Lemont, Illinois. He spent two years working on the Chicago drainage canal and in 1892 came to Lyon county.

Upon his arrival Mr. Johnson bought an eighty-acre farm on section 31, Sodus, farmed it four years, and then traded for a 160-acre farm on section 25, Lyons, where he has since lived. Later he bought another eighty acres adjoining and now has a fine farm of 240 acres. Mr. Johnson has served three years as a member of the Township Board of Supervisors.

on July 29, 1897. Mrs. Johnson was born in Sodus township on April 9, 1874, and is the daughter of Hugh and Elizabeth (Marshall) Neill, of Marshall. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have three children: Vera M., born February 18, 1900; Dwight N., born September 12, 1903; Alice H., born March 6, 1905.

EDGAR W. SHAVER (1877), who with his son conducts the Enterprise Wood Yard and Feed Mill at Marshall, is a pioneer settler of the county and one of its enterprising citizens. His parents were Almond and Sinah (Roberts) Shaver, both of whom were born in Canada. The father went to California in the fifties during the gold excitement, and in 18 60 the family located in Wisconsin. Almond Shaver served a four years' enlistment in the Union Army with a Wisconsin regiment during the Civil War. He became a land owner in Jackson county, Wisconsin, and there he and his wife both died, the former at the age of eighty-seven years and the latter aged seventy-five years.

To those parents Edgar W. Shaver was born in Wayne county, Ohio, November 16, 1850. When a child he accompanied the family to Canada, but in 1860 a return to the United States was made and a home established in Jackson county, Wisconsin. There young Shaver grew to manhood and there he resided until he came to Lyon county in 1878.

Our subject was one of a party of men who in 1877 drove from Wisconsin to Lyon county. He spent that season in the county, being employed in breaking prairie land on a tree claim owned by E. B. Jewett. Mr. Shaver returned to his old home but came back again the next spring to become a permanent resident. Upon his arrival his earthly possessions consisted of fifteen cents, a yoke of oxen and a span of horses, and he owed for the horses. He borrowed twenty dollars and sent for his wife. He went to work with a will and he has made a record worthy of emulation.

Mr. Shaver's first home was in Fairview township. Two years after his arrival he bought the Minor Atherton homestead, the northwest quarter of section 32, and farmed the place four years. He then traded for land on sections 22 and 2 6, Clifton township, and resided there until February, 1911. He erected all the buildings on the farm and made many improvements. He now rents out his 2 40 acre farm. Upon his removal to Marshall in 1911 Mr. Shaver bought of C. M. Hauks the Enterprise Wood and Coal Yards, consisting of lour lots, feed mill, barn and wood yard, and he has since conducted the business in partnership with his son, Vern C.

The marriage of Mr. Shaver to Emma C. Frank occurred in Jackson county, Wisconsin, in April, 1875. Mrs. Shaver was born in the county in which she was married. Seven children have blessed this union, as follows: Clarence, Nettie (Mrs. William Watson), of Amiret; Minnie (Mrs. Clarence Twogood), of Lyon county; Vern C, of Marshall; Gertie (Mrs. William Smith), who resides on the Clifton township farm; Nellie and Ethel.

Mr. Shaver has been a member of the Masonic lodge for the past forty-one years, having joined the order at Humbird, Wisconsin, in February, 1871. Mr. Shaver is one in a family of two children. His sister, Bertha, who is twenty years his junior, resides on the old homestead in Jackson county, Wisconsin.

OSCAR H. BURCKHARDT (1893). One of the enterprising young farmers of Coon Creek township is Oscar Burckhardt, a graduate of the Marshall High School and the Sioux Falls Business College. He is a native of Illinois and was born at Florence Station, Stephenson county, on May 9, 1890, a son of John and Albertina (Watzke) Burckhardt, early settlers of Lyon county.

The father was one of the most prosperous farmers in the county and also one of its largest land holders. He passed away on March 15, 1909, and with his death Lyon county lost one of its best citizens, one who did nobly his part in the upbuilding of the agricultural district. To Mr. and Mrs. John Burckhardt were born the following children: John, Alfred, Charles, Henry J., Oscar, Mrs. F. J. Henrichs, Mrs. H. Seibert, all of Lyon county; and Mrs. Annie Sullivan, of Matlock, Iowa. Mrs. Burckhardt resides on the home place near the village of Russell, and it is with her that the subject of this sketch lives. Mr. Burckhardt, Sr., served two years in the Civil War and received an honorable discharge.

The .young man whose name heads this sketch accompanied his parents to Lyon county when he was only four years of age. He attended school in district No. 63, in the Russell schools, and later in the Marshall High School two years. He also attended the Sioux Falls Business College. After finishing his course at the college Oscar worked for some time for the Tuthill Lumber Company, at Sioux Falls, as bookkeeper. After his father's death he returned home and has since had charge of the home farm. He is the owner of the southeast quarter of section 26, Coon Creek township, and farms 340 acres in addition to that. He raises considerable stock, including Duroc- Jersey bogs and Holstein cattle. He is a member of the German Lutheran church. Mr. Burckhardt is unmarried. He is a successful farmer and stock raiser.

DR. ANTON G. SANDERSON (1883) is a physician and surgeon of Minneota, where he was born February 1, 1883.- He is a son of the late Dr. Samuel Sanderson, a pioneer physician of Lyon county. The father settled at Minneota in the spring of 1881 and died at Madison, Wisconsin, February 5, 1909. There are five children in the family still living: Dr. E. T. Sanderson, of Minneota; Fred, of Madison, Wisconsin; Theresa, a trained nurse of Madison; Anton G., of this sketch, and Melville, a student.

Anton grew to manhood and received his early education in Minneota. After finishing school he went to Madison, Wisconsin, and worked for . a lumber company two years. He then spent two years with the Rogers Lumber Company at Velva and Kenmare, North Dakota. In 1904 Mr. Sanderson went to Chicago and attended the Bennett Medical College, from which he was graduated in 1908. After his graduation, Dr. Sanderson lived one year in Minneota, after which he was on the medical staff of the St. Peter insane asylum. He continued in the latter capacity six months and then went to Ruthton, where he practised until November, 1910. On the latter date he again took up

The subject of this sketch is a member of the A. F. & A. M., I. O. O. F. and M. W. A. lodges. He also holds membership in the T. A. E., a medical fraternity, and in the Illinois State Medical Association.

Dr. Sanderson was married at Ruthton November IS. 1910, to Ida Heacock, a native of Kingsley, Iowa. They are the parents of one child, Donald.

MARVIN E. MATHEWS (1876), a Marshall attorney-at-law, is a pioneer of Minnesota and of Lyon county. He has lived in Minnesota nearly sixty years and in Marshall thirty-six years. He is a man of prominence in his profession, but of a retiring, modest disposition, adverse to notoriety. He is richly entitled to biographical mention in this History of Lyon County, being a representative man and an eminent member of the bar of Southwestern Minnesota. Not only in the law is he prominent, but also in business and social circles.

Mr. Mathews descends from one of the old American families. His paternal grandparents were Caleb and Margaret (Van Salisbury) Mathews, natives, respectively, of Vermont and Pennsylvania. The former died near Jamestown, New York, at the age of eighty years; the latter died at the age of seventy-five years. The parents of our subject were Joseph V. and Clarissa (Chipman) Mathews. Joseph V. Mathews was born at Albany, New York, and at the age of five years accompanied his parents to Gary, New York. He located in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1854, took government land in Murray county in 1872, and died in that county. The mother of our subject was born at Jamestown, New York, and was a daughter of James Chipman. She also died in Murray county. There were six children in this family, as follows: James W., of Tracy; Charles, of Minneapolis; Edward, of Duluth; Ellen J. Endersbe (deceased) and Sidney (deceased).

M. E. Mathews was born at Jamestown, New York, September 25, 1849. » He accompanied the family when it moved to Rochester, Minnesota, in 1854 and he has ever since been a resident of this state. He spent his boyhood days on a farm near Rochester. At that time Southeastern Minnesota was very thinly settled, the country being marked only occasionally by the log cabins of settlers, the advance guard of civilization. For the most part the country was occupied by Indians and wild animals. There were no school laws, teachers or schools when the Mathews family made their home in this western country and it was several years before a school was established in the vicinity. When one was finally established instruction was given only a few months of the year, held in some claim shanty and supported by subscription. In the school which our subject first attended the shanty was supplied with seats and desks made by splitting logs into slabs and placing them on logs driven into the ground; the school room had no floor except that provided by nature and it was heated by an open fireplace built of stone. No certificate or qualification and but little education was required of the teacher. Reading, writing, spelling, geography and arithmetic were the branches taught, and those desiring further education were obliged to obtain it by their own unaided exertions. Mr. Mathews studied grammar and other branches while working in the fields and soon made the contents of such volumes his own, and he is now a master of the English language.

After completing the course provided by the country school Mr. Mathews continued his studies in the Rochester High School, which had then been established. From the age of seventeen years he made his own way in the world. He worked as a farm hand and chopped wood in the forests during the winter months and later taught a country school. For a time he studied law in the office of R. A. Jones, at Rochester, and in 1872 he moved to New Ulm and taught in the high school. While thus engaged he continued his law studies in the office of George W. Kuhlman until the fall of 1873. From that time until he located in Marshall in 1876 he practised his profession at New Ulm.

From 1876 until the present date Mr. Mathews has engaged in practice in Marshall. He took a course in the Law Department of the University of Michigan and was graduated with the class of 1881. He has become one of the leading attorneys of the state and has been connected with much

Ukxjuaimik'Al History

Mr. Mathews has been a life-long Democrat, a recognized leader in politics, and prominently identified with several Democratic organizations of the state. He has served as mayor of Marshall, county attorney, and was receiver of the United States Land Office at Marshall during President Cleveland's second administration. He was a candidate for the office of judge of the district court, but was defeated by the present incumbent, Hon. I. M. Olsen.

In many fraternal orders Mr. Mathews holds membership, among them the Council. Consistory, Mystic Shrine and Eastern Star of the Masonic orders, the Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America.

Mr. Mathews was married at New Ulm, Minnesota, ' on August 21, 1875, to Minnie Boesch, a native of Brown county and a daughter of Werner Boesch. To them were bora four children, named as follows: Werner B., born February 17, 1878, died April 14, 1896; Logan B., born March 31, 1880, died March 27, 1891; Sidonia A. (Mrs. Howard Harmon), of Marshall, born June 16, 1887; Rolland M., born January 6, 1889. Mr. Mathews and his wife are great lovers of children and have done much for a number of them in Lyon county, having assisted them in their schooling and getting a start in life. Besides their own they have two adopted children which they brought up from infancy. They are Arloine, at one time a leading nurse in Rest Hospital, Minneapolis, now the wife of Garfield Jaeger and a resident of Spokane, Washington, and Joseph P. Mathews, a student at the University of Minnesota. They are the daughter and son of Edward Mathews, a brother residing at Duluth, Minnesota.

PETER P. SLETTE (1888), of Lucas township, was born in Gubransdalen, Norway, February 29, 1874, and is a son of Peder and Sarah (Bergum) Slette. The former now resides in Lucas township; the latter died in Norway.

The elder Slette came to America in 1886 and settled in Lucas township, where he engaged in farming. The subject of this sketch attended the common schools of his native land until fourteen years of age, and two years after his father came to America the boy followed. He came to Lyon county and until 1900 worked out for various men at farm labor, most of the time in Lucas township.

In 1900 Peter returned to the Fatherland, where he remained about two years, and two years later once more came to America and resumed farming in Lucas township. He is at present farming 200 acres of rented land on section 16.

The ceremony which united Peter P. Slette and Tolvine Sandbo in the holy bonds of matrimony was performed at Cottonwood December 4, 1903. She is a native of Norway and was born August 1, 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Slette are the parents of the following children: Malfrid, born June 4, 1905; Sarah, born October 3, 1906; and Valborg, born February 26, 1909. The Slette family belong to the United Norwegian Lutheran church of Cottonwood.

Charles S. Foster, his father, was bora in Erie, Pennsylvania, July 22, 1828. There he spent his boyhood days and resided until twenty-six years of age. He was married in 1854 to Sarah J. Roberts, who was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, May 30, 1837. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Foster moved to Elgin, Illinois, resided there until 1865, and then located in the township of Elgin, Wabasha county, Minnesota. On a farm in that township they lived until 1878.

In the year last mentioned the family came to Lyon county, purchased the northwest quarter of section 9, Lynd township, and resided thereon eighteen years. The parents then bought a home in Marshall and resided in the county seat until their deaths. Mrs. Foster passed away September 3, 1900. Thereafter Mr. Foster made his home with his children until his death on May 8, 1909, at the age of eighty-one years.

There were twelve children in the family, of whom the following named six are living: Mary A., the wife of James A. Harris, of Lynd township; Lester F. and Ulysses G., of Lynd township; Elmer E., of Marshall;

Elmer E. Foster was born in Elgin township, Wabasha county, Minnesota, November 3, 1866, and he lived there on a farm with his parents until the fall of 1878. He came with the family to Lyon county at that time and until the fall of 1890 lived on the home farm in Lynd township. Then he rented section 36, Grandview township, and farmed it one year. Mr. Foster was married November 25, 1891, to Annie S. Kiel, daughter of M. C. Kiel. She was born in Faribault county, Minnesota, June 6, 1873.

After his marriage Mr. Foster bought the north half of the north half of section 36, Lynd township, and conducted the farm nine years. Then he purchased the home farm of his father and operated the place six years. At the end of that time Mr. Foster was appointed deputy sheriff of Lyon county and served four years and four months under Sheriff Grannan, until May 1, 1911. In the "latter part of June of the same year he was appointed to the police force of Marshall.

Mr. Foster has held other local offices. For nine years he was assessor of Lynd township and he was also clerk of his school district. He is a member of the M. W. A. lodge of Lynd and of the Blue Lodge and Chapter of the Masonic order at Marshall.

HENRY A. MATTHEWS (1883) is a farmer and land owner who resides in Lynd township. He is a native of Germany and was born near Breslau on November 4, 1846, the son of Joseph and Hedwig (Jopech) Matthews, both of whom died in 1854 when Henry was a boy. It was in the land of his nativity that Henry received his early education. Until he was twenty-one years of age he was employed as an engineer.

When twenty-one years of age Henry Matthews came to America and worked in New York, Connecticut, Wisconsin and Mississippi. After a residence of one year in Clayborn county, Mississippi, he moved to

Cincinnati, Ohio, where he remained eight years in the employ of a florist. He then went to Chicago, where he had charge of the Dearborn Avenue Conservatory.

In 1883 our subject immigrated to Lyon county and built a hut on the farm he now operates, which he purchased from the Northwestern Railroad Company. He is at present the owner of four hundred acres of fine land in Lynd township. Mr. Matthews is a member of the German Lutheran church, is a stockholder of the Farmers Elevator Company of Lynd and has been on the board of school district No. 38 for several years. Besides farming, he raises a great deal of stock.

In 1880 Mr. Matthews was united in marriage to Annie Fritsch, a native of Germany. Mrs. Matthews died July 1, 1898. They were the parents of the following named children : Annie (Mrs. Frank Mellenthen), Hedwig, George, Fred, Henry, Karl, Mary, Helen, Sophia, Laura.

EDMOND VaN MOER (1891) is one of Amiret township's successful farmers and lives on the southwest quarter of section 8. He conducts a 200-acre farm and has a fine, well-improved place.

Mr. Van Moer is a Hollander and is a son of Joseph and Pauline (Pielaet) Van Moer, both of whom died in their native land. Edmond was bom January 28, 1870, and was brought up and educated in his native land. At quite an early age he commenced to work out at farm labor in Holland, and in the spring of 1891 the young man came to America.

Upon his arrival to the United States, Mr. Van Moer located in Lyon county and worked Dut at farm labor near Ghent several months. He farmed rented land in Amiret .township ten years, after which he purchased the north half of section 17 in company with his two brothers, John and August, and the three boys ran the farm four years. Edmond then purchased the land where he now resides, and he has today a farm well improved with substantial buildings. In addition to his general farming he engages successfully in stock raising.

State Bank and the Lyon County Agricultural Society. He is also a shareholder and treasurer of the Amiret-Marshall Rural Telephone Company. Our subject was justice of the peace two years and has been a member of the Board of Supervisors the past five years. being its present chairman. He was road overseer rive years.

.May 27. 1905, occurred the marriage of Edmond Van Moer and Florence Loke. a native of Lyon county. She was born March 26, 1885, and is a daughter of Franz and Mary ( Vaader Kerkhoven) Loke, natives of Holland and for the last few years residents of Clifton township, Lyon county. To Mr. and Mrs. Van Moer five children have been horn, their names being Elsie M., Ida P.. Bertha C, George E. and Victor Joseph. The Van Moers are members of the Catholic church.

ABSALOM LLOYD WRIGHT (1883), who owns and farms the southwest quarter of section 20, Rock Lake township, has lived in Lyon county nearly thirty years. He has met with success in his ventures, has taken an active part in the affairs of his community, and is rated high among the men of his precinct.

Mr. Wright is a Virginian by birth and first saw the light of day November 10, 1861. Andrew Wright, his father, was born in Virginia, served in the army during the Civil War, and lost his life in the sectional struggle. Dorothy (Davis) Wright, his mother, died in 1874.

Our subject spent his boyhood days in his native state, attending school and working out as a farm hand. He came to Lyon county in the fall of 1883 and this county has ever since been his residence. He worked out four years and then started in business for himself, renting land and farming in Sodus township three years. He next farmed rented land in Rock Lake township six years and then took up his residence on his present farm, which he had purchased six years before.

Mr. Wright served one year as clerk of Rock Lake township and he has been assessor for the past two years. For seventeen years he has been a member of the school board of district No. 18 - thirteen years as a director and the last four years as treasurer. He has stock in the Farmers Elevator Company of Balaton.

Eliza A. Ford became the wife of Mr. Wright November 24, 1887. She was born in Wisconsin May 8, 1865, and is a daughter of Henry and Margaret (Marshall) Ford, pioneers and still residents of Sodus township. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have two children: Margaret, born December 7, 1888, and Clarence, born January 6, 1894.

HENRY O. HANSON (1881) is the manager of the Farmers & Merchants Supply Company of Minneota and has resided in Lyon county for the past thirty years. The company by which he is employed was established in 1894 and has the following officers: President, Gilbert Hammer; treasurer, H. A. Tillemans; secretary, K. E. Kjorness; manager, H. O. Hanson. They handle grain, coal and twine. Henry was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, June 20, 1859, a son of Ole and Jane (Peterson) Hanson, natives of Norway who came to Dane county in the days of the early Norwegian settlements of that state. They are both dead.

In 1879 the subject of this review immigrated to Hancock, Stevens county, Minnesota, where he resided until 1881, when he moved to Minneota - his future home. He was engaged in the hardware and implement business until 1885, then in the butcher business, and still later in the livery business until 1895, when he accepted the position he now holds.

Mr. Hanson was married in Minneota to Annie Werpe, a native of Iowa. They are the parents of eight children, as follows: Clara, Ella, Marvin, Chester, Edgar, Milton, Klenora and Milo.

KNUTE SKAAR (1892) is a farmer and blooded stock raiser of Nordland township and a resident of Lyon county of twenty years' standing. His home place is the south half of the southeast quarter of section 4. a short distance from Minneota, and he also owns the east half of the northwest quarter of section 9, adjoining.

Knute Skaar was born in Vallers, Norway, September 27, 1884. His parents, Ole and Carrie Skaar, died when he was a child, and in 1892 he came to America with his sister, Barbara Skaar. He came to Lyon county and made his home with an uncle, Knud Dovre, in Eidsvold township. His boyhood days were spent attending the district school and assisting his uncle on the farm. He remained on the Dovre farm until the fall of 1908. The next fall he purchased eighty acres of his present farm and started in business for himself. The next year he became the owner of the other eighty acres of his farm.

Mr. Skaar specializes on stock, raising thoroughbred Duroc-Jersey swine. He exhibited his registered hogs at the Lyon county fair in 1911 and received two first prizes and one sweepstake. Mr. Skaar has stock in the Farmers Elevator Company of Minneota. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Minneota and of the Masonic, Odd Fellows and Yeomen lodges of the same village.

Emma Hanson, who was born in Lyon county April 9, 1887, became the wife of Mr. Skaar June 2, 1910, the ceremony being performed at Minneota. Her parents, Robert and Ellen (Klaith) Hanson, were pioneer res-" idents of Nordland township and are now deceased. Mrs. Skaar is one of five children, the others being Mrs. Knute K. Mohn, of Nordland township; Peter, deceased; Carl, of Minneota; and Christine, of Nordland township.

WILLIAM F. GIESEKE (1892) is president of the Marshall Milling Company and at the head of one of Lyon county's largest business enterprises. He has been a resident of Marshall twenty years and is rated among the substantial men of Lyon county.