Polk County, Minnesota - Biographical sketches, 1916 (part 9 of 15)

Fred Hanson

Fred Hanson, a farmer of King township, has been a resident of Polk county since the opening of the section of the Thirteen Towns in 1883. He was born in Norway, April 16, 1857, and came to the United States at seventeen years of age, with his parents and three sisters. A brother, J. B. Hanson, had preceded them to this country and the family joined him in Vernon county, Wisconsin. For seven years, Fred Hanson was employed in farm work at that place and then spent some time in Dakota. In the spring of 1883, accompanied by his brother, J. B. Hanson, he came to Polk county and located in the Thirteen Towns some months previous to its opening for settlement in August, when he filed his preemption claim on the land in section five, King township, where he has since made his home. The death of his father had occurred in Wisconsin and his mother lived with him in the house which he erected on the claim. J. B. Hanson also settled in King township and lived here for some twelve years before removing to a homestead near Bermidji, Minnesota. He was the pioneer blacksmith in the Thirteen Towns and the shop which he operated on his farm received the patronage of a wide teri'itory. The two brothers shared in the ownership of their first yoke of oxen and during the first years worked at the clearing of the land under this partnership before securing teams, individually. At that time work horses were rarely used in that section and- Mr. Hanson accomplished the greater part of the labor of clearing and breaking his land, which was covered with small timber, with the oxen, which were his only farm team for a number of years. In addition to the usual tasks of the settlers, he installed ditches which have developed some fine meadow land. During the years of his residence he has ably contributed his share to the industry and enterprise which has brought the conveniences and prosperity of the modern farming community, rapidly advancing the country 's development from the days when Crookston, forty miles distant and a four days journey in an ox cart was the trading point and the nearest wheat depot was thirty miles away. He was active in the first township election in which the name of the well knowTi pioneer, Mr. King, became permanently associated with the distritt. Jlr. Ilausoii served as township supervisor and elerk of the school board, liolding the latter office for four years. Mi\ Hanson was one of the men, who ambitious to receive training in the language and customs of the adopted country, eui'oUed as pupils in the first school organized in that region, of which Ed Stowe was teacher. In 1888, Mr. Hanson was married to Augusta M. Johnson and the ceremony was solemnized in a neighboring school house. She is a native of Sweden, wlio came from Waseca to Polk county with her father, Andrew Johnson, who settled on a homestead in Lessor township, which since his death has continued in the possession of his family. Mr Hanson and his wife have a family of two sons and five daughters, Regina, Uilma, Selma, Julia, Henry, Alfred, and Anna. The oldest daughter, Regina, was employed as a teacher in Norman and Clearwater counties before her marriage to Harold Cas-selmau, a farmer near Ada. Ililma taught parochial school in Dakota and Minnesota, is the wife of John Ilegge of Williston, North Dakota. Mr. Hanson and his family are members of the United Lutheran church of Mcintosh, in which church he is an active worker and trustee. He takes great enjoyment in the good sport afforded the lover of the hunt, by his state and often devotes his vacation to hunting trips after big game.

John A. Orvold

John A. Orvold. of Gully township, is a prominent citizen and well known farmer of the county and was actively associated with the founding of the village of Trail on the Soo railroad. He was bom in Norway on Februaiy 7, 1853, and was reared on a farm in his native land, coming to the United States when eighteen j'eare of age and joining an uncle who resided in "Wisconsin. In 1874, he went to Goodhue eoiuity, Minnesota, and spent the next five years in various employments, working as a farm laborer and for two seasons in the lumber regions of Wisconsin and then made his permanent location in Minnesota in 1879, when he bought raib'oad land in Stevens county. He developed this farm and remained in that county for fourteen years, engaging in farming with the exception of two years residence in Hancock. In 1892 he removed to Clay county and rented a large farm of a Minneapolis land company, which he operated until 1899 when he took a homestead claim in tlie Red Lake Indian reservation, which is part of his present farm in section twenty-nine of Gully township, three miles west of Gully and sixteen miles north of Fosston. He has since added more land to his estate and owns a quarter section in Chester township. He has devoted all his business activitv to his aericultnral interests and has met with unvaried success in all his pursuits, developing a fine farm. He raises blooded stock and devotes some attention to dairy farming. Mr. Orvold has ever lived that progi-essive and broad citizenship which has earned him the respect of all and is widely known in that section for his many worthy services in the public interests. He was present at the organization of the township and has served continuously in tlie various offices and is a justice of peace and a member of the school board at present. When the Soo railroad was liuilt through the township, he sold eighty acres of his homestead for the site of Trail which is one-half mile west of his home and has been identified with its growth and is a shareholder in the co-operative creamery there and was largely influential in the organization of the Synod Lutlieran church. This village has grown to a goodh^ population and has proved of great convenience and benefit to the surrounding agricultural district and the low plains immediately to the north of the town are being rapidly developed by di'ainage into valuable farming land. Mr. Orvold was married in Stevens coimty to Thurine Olson, who was bom in Norway and eleven children were bom to them, of whom nine are now living. Ida, the eldest daughter, died July 26. 1914, in her twenty- ninth yeai- and the youngest member of the family, Myrtle died in early childhood. The surviving children are, Amos and Tomine, who are both living on homesteads in North Dakota, the latter in McKenzie county ; Josephine, who is a trained nurse and resides with her parents; Lillie, the wife of Ed Carlson, of Clay county, Minnesota; Clarence, who lives in

Dakota ; Mabel, a student in the high school at Fosston and member of the graduating class of 1917 ; Johnnie, Ole, and Hazel. Mr. Orvold was a member of the Lutheran church at Gully for a number of years, until the establishment of the Synod Lutheran church, in Trail of which he has since been a faithful supporter.

James T. Sullivan

Having had a large share of difficulties and losses in his career as a Polk county farmer, and yet having won a substantial and impressive success through his operations as sucli by his good management and pereisteut industry, James T. Sullivan, proprietor of the Sullivan farm, which comprises the North half of Section 30, Sullivan township and is four miles and a half northeast of East Grand Forks, has shown that he possesses the qualities which always count well in the struggle for advancement among men. He was born in Lanark county, province of Ontario, Canada, December 10, 1853. He was prepared for the work of teaching school but did not enter the profession. His first money was earned as a timekeeper in a lumber camp when he was eighteen years old. He passed eleven months in the camp and on the river, and received a check for .$270 for his services. The next season he returned to his father's farm in Canada. His father came to Minnesota and Polk county in 1877 and the next year James T. and the rest of the family joined him here. The children all remained with tlieir parents until 1881.

On the arrival of the family in this county iu 1878 the father filed on claims for his sons, that of James T. being the Noi'theast quarter of Section 30, on whirh he now lives. Before he took posses.sion of his claim it was jumped, but the man who jumped it afterward abandoned it and Mr. Sullivan retained the ownership of it without a contest. In 1882 he returned to his native county and there married Miss Elizabetli Hollinger whom he at once brought to the new dwelling he had built on his land in 1881. He also bought the

Northwest quarter of Section 30, and thus became the owner of the whole North half of that section, his new purchase having been improved by its former owner, 0. E. Thoresen. For many years Mr. Sullivan devoted his attention to raising grain and did well at it. But during the last six years he has been keeping cows on a large scale and breeding high gi-ade Holstein cattle. His herd consists of at least fifty head as a rule, and he milks twenty-five cows regularly, and to be supplied with feed for his cattle he uses two silos of generous proportions.

Mr. Sullivan has been township clerk ten years, township assessor fifteen years and a member of the school board and its clerk and treasurer from the time when the school district was organized. His wife died in 1908 after they had lived together twenty-six years. She was the mother of five children one of whom, a daughter named Stella, died in 1898, aged eight. The four who are living are Charles and Wellington, who are living at home, and Elizabeth and Wilfred, who are married. Elizabeth is the wife of Ralph Van Voores, who is employed in the office of the Northern Pacific railroad at East Grand Forks, and Wilfred married Miss Emily Jacobson, a resident of that city also.

On November 8, 1911, Mr. Sullivan contracted a second marriage, which united him with Miss Elizabeth Ryan. She was a teacher in the Polk county public schools for fourteen years, teaching her fii*st school at Mallory when she was but seventeen years old. She was also a stenographer in a law office in Grand Porks three years, and cared for her parents to the end of their lives. .She belongs to all the elubs and other useful organizations in her neighborhood and is an active worker in them and the ehureh societies and a very forceful and effective occasional speaker. She and her hasband are active members of the Catholic church of the Sacred Heart. Hail and other storms have seriously injured Mr. Sullivan's crops at times, and in 1887 a cyclone destroyed a new horse barn which he had just built and injured his house, causing a loss of several hundred dollars. In 1884, when his whole crop was destroyed by hail he was appointed deputy county auditor under P. J. McGuire, who was the auditor for years but is now a resident of St. Paul.

In his thirty-seven years of residence in this county Ole S. Basgaard, who is now one of the enterprising and prosperous farmers of Esther township, has shown himself to be a man of progressiveness and energy, wise in the management of his aifairs and judicious in his support of undertakings for the welfare of the county and especially his home township, turning down none of merit aaid assisting none of doubtful propriety. He is an excellent citizen and is esteemed as such wherever he is known.

Mr. Basgaard was born in Norway, March 25, 1847, and was brought to this country by his parents when he was about one year old. The parents located at Noskes, in Dane county, Wisconsin, about fourteen miles east of the city of Madison. After living there six years they moved to Coon Valley, Vernon county, Wisconsin, and there they died. Their son Ole remained at home until he reached the age of twentyone, but when he was nineteen he was married to Miss Sevrena Theresa Vigesaa, also a native of Norway and brought to this country by her parents when she was young.

When Mr. Basgaard reached the age of twenty-one he moved into this state and took up an 80 acre homestead in Chippewa county, where he continued to live seven years, but he did not come to Polk county to live until May, 1878. He then took up a homestead of eighty acres on the prairie, but he did not prove up on this, aa he sold it before the proving up time came. His brother-in-law, Ole E. Larson, came to this county in 1878, and had acquired the ownership of 160 acres of the land Mr. Basgaard now owns, and the latter traded his interest in his prairie homestead to Mr. Larson for this quarter section. A few acres of it were broken up but there were no buildings on the place. It was railroad land and in dispute, but he proceeded to farm and improve it. When the dispute over it was settled he received the sum of $350 as a rebate for the buildings he had erected and the work he had done on the place. The Grand Marais river winds across the land, and for some time a great deal of it was overflowed and swampy. But it is all well drained now and produces excellent hay.

The first dwelling Mr. Basgaard had on this land was made of bark and sod. In a little while this gave way to a little log house, and in this he made his home until he put up his present residence, Mhich was one of the best in its locality when it was built. Grain and hay have been his principal products on this farm until recently, when he has given a portion of his attention to raising live stock, preferring the Shorthorn strain in cattle. In addition to his home farm he owns 120 acres of prairie land in Northland township, three miles and a half distant from his home, but this is farmed by a tenant and is also devoted to grain, principally wheat.

Mr. and Mrs. Basgaard were members of the Grand Marais Lutheran church. Mrs. Basgaard died March 1, 1897. They had nine children, five of whom are living. Hilda is now the wife of John Rule of Bellingham, Washington. Laura is the wife of A. C. Corliss, a street car conductor in Fargo, North Dakota. Stephen is living on a farm in Beltrami county, Minnesota. Eddie and Mandus are still living at home. Hendry married Miss Ida Johnson and died at the age of thirty-four. His widow and two children, Clarence and Walter, are living with his fatherin-law. Sigvart was killed by lightning at the age of

James 0. Hovland

This esteemed citizen of Polk county, who has been a prominent farmer in Northwestern Minnesota for many years and is now president of the Farmers' State Bank of Winger, was born iu Rock county, Wis - consin. May 25, 1861, and is a son of Lars J. and Ingeborg Hovland, who were born and reared in Norway and came to the United States in 1857, locating in Goodhue county, Minnesota, and remaining there until 1882, when they moved to Norman county, where the father took up a soldier's homestead. He had served nine months in the Civil war as a private iu Compau}^ M, First Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Artillery, and after his location in Norman county he continued to live there until his death in 1908. He was a faithful and consistent member of Faaberg Lutheran church.

James 0. Hovlaud got his academic education at St. Olaf 's school at Northfield and afterward pursued a course of special instruction in a business college in Rochester. In 1884 he moved to Rindal, in this county, where he opened a general store in partnerehip with Martin Anderson. As the firm had only $2,000 capital the store was a small one, but the sales were large, and the venture was profitable. Mr. Hovlaad sold his interest in the biisiness at a profit at the end of three years, and then opened a store at the old Winger postoffice one mile and a half east of the site of the present village of Winger. The goods for this stoi-e had to be hauled from Beltrami, a distance of 37 miles, and the freeze of 1888 injured the farmers' crops to such an extent that they were unable to pay their bills. Iu consequence of these difficulties the store was closed.

Mr. Hovland 's next move was the purchase of his father's fanu in Norman county, which he still owns and has enlarged to 400 acres. He operated this farm until 1908, and since then it has been cultivated by a tenant, but Mr. Hovland made his home on it until 1914, when he changed his residence to Winger. In connection with his farming industry he bred graded cattle for dairy purposes and also raised numbers of 0. I. C. hogs, of which he still owns a fine drove. He also erected substantial and commodious buildings on the farm and equipped it with every modern machine needed for its advanced and progressive cultivation.

In 1912 Mr. Hovland conceived the project of reorganizing the old state bank at Winger and induced many farmers to take stock in the enterprise. The reorganization was efi'ected under the name of the Farmers' State Bank of Winger with Mr. Hovland as its president. He has since devoted a part of his time and energy to the affairs of this institution, and it is flourishing vigorously under his prudent and energetic management, taking rank as one of the strongest and best managed fiscal institutions of its class in this part of the state of Minnesota.

Hans 0. Lee

Hans 0. Lee, of Badger township, a prominent farmer of the county and proprietor of the Badger "Valley Farm, is a pioneer of this region, having located in Wisconsin in the early seventies. He was born in Norway, April 30, 1858, and came with his parents, Ole and Martha Lee to Grant County, Wisconsin, when ten years of age. There the father died. He assisted in the clearing of the timber land in Wis- consiu. Wheu he was sixteen years of age he left home to seek employment as a farm laborer and for ten years worked on a Fillmore and Norman county farm. During this time he helped defray expenses on the home place in Wisconsin, and thus was not able to advance his own interests by saving from his wages. Upon the opening of the Thirteen Towns, in 1883, he filed on land in section seven. Badger township, and entered upon his farming career with a capital of seven dollars. During the first years he worked in the hai-vest fields in Norman county and had but little time to give to the improvement of his tract. In 1886 he was married to Lena Weger of Fillmore county, Mincsota, and his finances permitting but a small payment, he purchased a team of horses and wagon from her father, on credit, and brought his wife to the new home in the wilderness. Their first home was in the sod claim shanty with the humble surroundings of pioneer life. The thrift and competent management which marked the years that followed appear in the model farm and prosperous interests of Mr. Lee. He has steadily added to his property and owned five hundred and twenty acres, but has given two hundred and forty to his sons, Ole Lee and Herman Lee. Badger Valley Farm now comprises two hundred and eighty acres of land, which in natural advantages of fertility of soil, as well as in its great productiveness under the direction of its owner, ranks as one of the most desirable farms in the county. The extent of his operations may be seen in his harvest of 5,000 bushels of grain in 1915 and in his successful enterprise in stock farming. He keeps a large herd of cattle, raising for the market and dairying purposes and is breeding Short Horn stock. In 1903 he erected the present country home, which replaced the log house which was the second home of the family. Jilr. Lee has always manifested an active interest in the welfare and progress of the community and has given able service to public interests as a member of the township board and of the school board. He has also been associated for five yeai-s with the co-operative creamery at Ei-skine as stockholder and director, and is a shareholder in the Scandia Bank at Erskine. He is a member of Sorum Lutheran Clmreh and is prominently identified with church affairs as trustee. Mr. Lee has a family of five children, Ole, Herman, Nels, Carl, and Martha, who married 0. T. Fretta, and lives about three miles east of her old home. Ole Lee is the owner of a one hundred and sixty acre farm, and Herman Lee of eighty acres, given them by their father, and they are associated with him in his agricultural interests.

C. M. Berg

C. M. Berg, president of the First National bank at Mcintosh, has been a resident of the county since early childhood. He was born in Norway, at Grue Prestegjeld Solor, April 10, 1873. In 1888 his parents came, with their son and two daughters, from Norway to Minnesota, where the father, Martin T. Berg, settled on land in King township, Polk county, and became a well-known pioneer of that section. He is now a retired farmer and resides in Mcintosh. C. M. Berg was reared on the Polk county homestead and attended the public schools. "When he was seventeen years of age he entered upon his business career and for some years was employed as a clerk in a general store at Mcintosh and later sold agi'ieultural implements on the road. His association with the banking interests of the county began in 1901, when he secured the position of bookkeeper and later wa.s made assistant cashier of the State bank at Mcintosh, and since that time has been identified with the successful operations of that institution. In 1901 "W. S. Short was the president of the corporation and S. H. Drew was the cashier. Two years later the bank was converted into a national bank and continued to be eonducted by the same officials until 1911, when Mr. Berg became president, having serv'ed as cashier from 1905 until 1911, and in that position and as activo manager has displayed able executive ability and financial genius in directing its activities to a steadily increasing prosperity. In 1913 the present bank building was erected at the cost of $11,300 and was adequately equipped with interior furnishings and safety deposit vaults. Aside from his financial enterprises, Mr. Berg has interested himself in quite extensive investments in farm lands. As a public-spirited and progressive citizen, he has freely contributed his services and influence in behalf of the development and general welfare of the town and count}' and enjoys the respect and confidence of his associates in every field of activity. He is a member of the Minnesota and American Bankers associations and of the Independent Scandinavian Workingmen's as- .soeiation. Mr. Berg was married November 18, 1896, to Bertha Bjorgo. Mrs. Berg's parents were among the early settlers of the Thirteen Towns. Mr. Berg has served on the school board for nine years, one year of which he was jiresident (in 1914), and was appointed mayor of Mcintosh in 1906, serving as such until April, 1907. In church affiliations he is a member of St. John's church of the Norwegian Lutheran church, serving as treasurer for the past twenty-three yeai-s. He is a stockholder and treasurer of the North Star Dairy association, of Mcintosh, and is now president of the Mcintosh Commercial club.

Ole Lind

This progressive and prosperous farmer, who owns the Southwest quarter of Section 22, Higdem township, this county, and has his residence but onequarter of a mile from that of his father and brother John, who live on the adjoining tract, is a native of Sweden, where his life began June 7, 1875. In 1888 he was brought to the United States by his parents, Nels and Carrie Lind, who located for a few months at Warren, in Marshall county, Minnesota, and in the fall of the same year took up their residence on the farm on which the father stiU lives, and which he then purchased. The farm had 30 acres of its land plowed and contained a small log house which the family used as a dwelling until the father erected the present larger and more convenient residence.

During the first summer the father worked out but did not save much, as the living of the family took nearly all his earnings. He went in debt for his land, but soon after locating on it bought a yoke of oxen and began to make it yield something in the way of cropa To keep the family, however, during the winter he cut cord wood and hauled it eighteen miles to Warren, where he received about $3 a cord for it. The father has added forty acres to the farm and made all the improvements there are on it. He has recently sold it to his son John but continues to make

The four sons in the family, Peter, Ole, Johann and John, aU worked at home during their minority. When they left home Peter, Ole and Johann bought 240 acres of land which the three worked together until the death of Johann at the age of twenty-one. One year later Peter and Ole divided the land, Peter taking 160 acres and Ole eighty acres. Each has since bought an additional tract of 160 acres, the two purchases constituting the South half of Section 22. The boys all made their home with their father until 1911 except Johann, who died prior to that year.

Ole Lind's farm was originally the tree claim of Robert Olson, and that gentleman set out ten or eleven acres in trees which have already yielded a profitable supply of sawlogs, the trees being principally cottonwood and box-elder. Mr. Lind has set out 500 or 600 additional trees mainly to sei"ve as windbreaks. He has built a good dwelling house and made other improvements on his land and is engaged principally in raising grain, but he also keeps five or six milk cows regularly. He has taken an active and helpful part in the affairs of the township and served it as supervisor.

Clara Olson, a daughter of Ole E. Olson, of Higdem township, who came to Polk county in his young manhood. ]Mrs. Lind was born in Marshall county but not far from her present home. Two children have been born of the marriage, Matilda Caroline and belong to the Kongsvinger Lutheran church, of which Ole Lind is now one of the trustees, and in which his father has been active during the whole of his residence in this county. During seven years of the life of the late Thomas Hendrickson Mr. Lind was his

Steener Knutson

Steener Kuutson, father to the Steenerson family who have been prominent in the history and development of Polk county, was born in Telemarken, Norway, June 30, 1819, and was the only son of Knut and Annie Steenerson, of Berge, in Margedal, Norway.

He was educated in the common school of that Parish and graduated as teacher from the Kvitseid Seminary, and taught school for several years in neighboring parishes. In 1844 he married Birgit Liefson Roholt, who was bom jMarch 30, 1821. They bought a farm named Roumdal, but sold it iu a short time and removed to another farm named Moaas, which they owned and operated for several years, and finally sold out in 1851 and sailed for America.

At this time three sons had been born to them, Knute, Leif, and Christopher. He used to say his resolution to leave his native land was based upon economic conditions. His earthly possessions were small and there was little prospect of any increase in them, except in the item of children, in which line he had already made a good start. Reading about the opportunities in America and its free institutions, he desired to get there before his family would be so large and his purse so small that he would be unable to get away. This calculation proved quite correct, for when he arrived in Dane county, Wisconsin, he had just enough mone.y left to buy a cow and a couple of two year old steers. Here he rented forty acres of land, and taught school in the neighborhood for a time. Finally, hearing of Minnesota Territory and its cheap lands, he decided to go there and locate a home. Leaving his family in Dane county, he reached LaCrosse and was told by Mons Anderson, a merchant there, that he could get a homestead north of what is now LaCrosse, and he went out to look at it, but thought the soil was too sandy; so he went on across the Mississippi into Houston county, Minnesota, and selected a homestead at Luna VaUey. Here he hired out to cut cord-wood for some one at LaCrosse, and was cheated out of his pay.

One day, towards spring, he was walking across the Mississippi on the ice with an ax on his shoulder. The ice, being weak, broke under him and he fell in and in the struggle to get out the ax fell on his left hand and cut the middle finger clean off. This laid him up for the balance of the winter. When spring opened he was so far recovered that he was able to go to work and hired out to go on a raft from LaCrosse to St. Louis, which trip netted him fifteen dollars.

In 1853 the family joined him at LaCrosse and they settled down on their claim at Luna Valley. Bj' this time the family had increased to four, another boy having been born and named Halvoi". They came riding behind a yoke of oxen on a wagon, with wheels made of blocks sawed from a log. The names of the oxen were "Duke" and "Dime." The cow was also along, her name was Jevrei, meaning precious and she proved herself to be precious in fact as well as in name; she was the mainstay of the family for years, and was famous far and wide for the quality and quantity of her milk, and the fine calves she raised.

On the trip on the raft to St. Louis he contracted the fever and ague and was laid up with the disease for nearly a year. When his wife told of these times and of the hardship endured it was enough to moisten the eyes of the most stolid. The countrv was full of

Indians, wliieh constantly engendered fear, as the county was sparsely settled, the buildings poor, provisions low, want and starvation staring them in the face, and she the only provider and protector to the sick husband and the four small childi'en. The yoke of oxen had to be mortgaged to get flour and provisions. A year and a half passed before Steener got his health back, and a chance to sell his claim for enough to get out of debt and to make a new start. They then moved to the town of Sheldon, Houston county, and took up a claim in Section 30, where they resided for over twenty years and raised a big family ; the children, in addition to those already mentioned, being Andrew, Ellas, Ellen, Anne, and John.

At the outbreak of the Civil war the parents had a nucleus for a small army, which taxed their ability to the utmost to keep in proper discipline ; but under the stern orders of their superiors the younger ones soon became efficient in planting, hoeing, and husking corn, and other duties on the farm, and chafing under the situation that all were too young to partake in the defense of their country. Mr. Knutson finally, in 1864, volunteered in Company K of the Eleventh Minnesota, and served to the close of the war.

In 1871 the two older boj's took land in Polk county, Minnesota, and selected a claim for the father in Section 30, town of Vineland, to where he went in 1875, and the rest of the family followed in 1876. Here he lived until he passed to the other life, in 1881. He served as Town Supervisor of Vineland for several years. He was also active in church work, and one of the organizers of the first Lutheran Church in

Houston county. Mother Steenerson died twelve years later, or in 1893, and both are buried in the Climax Cemetery, where appropriate monuments mark their last resting place.

Few have been more closely identified with the growth and development of the State than they were ; and few have reared as large a familj' of boys and girls, under adverse conditions, all of whom grew to manhood and became prominent citizens of Polk county, and elsewhere.

The following is a chronology of the offices held in the County and State by the Steeuersons: Knute, sheriff of Chippewa county in 1876 ; Levi, county commissioner of Polk county for several years; Christopher, the first superintendent of schools of Polk county, in 1876, and later clerk of court for many years; Halvor, county attorney of Polk county, state senator, and member of Congi-ess ; Andrew, sheriff of Polk county ; Elias, postmaster of Crookston for nine years, and mayor of Fisher in the early eighties ; John, mayor of Esmond, North Dakota ; Anne, teacher and member of the school board at Climax ; Ellen, teacher.

No doubt but that the old folks longed to go back to their native land during the times of distress, when pioneering in Houston county, and possibly felt they had made a mistake, yet that thought never found an utterance. Their faith in their adopted country and its institutions seemed to be implicit, and their hope for final success seemed to be instinctive. They became part of their adopted country, and that they had made no mistake they were well satisfied during their declining years.

James Nisbet

seventies and were widely identified with the settlement and development of the western part of the county. David Nisbet died a number of years ago; Robert Nisbet was a resident of Nisbet township, which was named in his honor and Thomas Nisbet was for many years a farmer in Huntsville township and was living in Grand Forks at the time of his death in

1914. James Nisbet remained in Canada until his early manhood when he went to AVisconsin and for nine years worked in the lumber woods on the Chippewa river, employed in the camps in winter and during the summer season, driving logs on the river. In 1875 he came to Polk county, where his brother, David Nisbet had already located, and secured a homestead. For several years in company with Joel Robertson, he lived at the bachelor home of David Nisbet, each member of the household owning and operating his own farm. In 1880 lie returned to Canada and was married in February of that year to Cristena Morrow, daughter of William and Margaret (Geddes) Morrow. David Morrow, a brother and Mary, a sister, the wife of Thomas Welch were already residents of Polk county and another sister Janet, who married Robert Bain, later located at Fisher, where she now lives. After his marriage, Mr. Nisbet erected a house of hewed logs, cut from the timber along the Marais river, which crossed his fann. This house which is still standing, with a few simple furnishings was the finst home of the family and they continued to live there until 1883 when the present modern house was built. Mr. Nisbet steadily prospered in his farming enterprises and built up a fine property, setting out groves and equipping the place with large barns. He was ever actively interested in behalf of the general welfare of the community and gave able service as a member of the school board. In fraternal circles, he was a well known member of the Masonic chapter at Ci'ookstou. His death occurred on his homestead, in his sixty-fourth year. He is survived by his wife and two children, Margaret Evelyn, who married William Porter, a grain dealer at Grand Forks; and William James. Myrtle Christina, the youngest daughter, died in childhood. William J. Nisbet was married to Eva, the daughter of James McDonald, of Nisbet township, and they have one child, Herbert James. Mr. Nisbet is a farmer, owning a part of his father's estate of four hundred and twenty-five acres. Mrs. Nisbet has continued to make her home on the farm since her Inisbaud's death and is interested in its management. She is a member of the Farmers club at Mallorj'. Although reared as a member of the Methodist church, Mrs. Nisbet has always been a loyal supporter and active worker in the Bethel Presbyterian church, of which her husband was a member.

Patrick Quigley

Patrick Quigley, a pioneer of Polk county and well known citizen, has been a resident of Tynsid township since 1871. He came to the United States from Ireland and for a number of years was employed in railroad construction work and during the time that he was employed on the Union Pacific road, witnessed the driving of the Golden Spike at the union of the east and west branches. He gradually worked westward, visiting Chicago before its historic fire, and came to Minnesota to work on the Great Northern road, which was being extended west from Brainerd. In September, 1871, he took a preemption claim in Tynsid township. He was accompanied by Matthew Martin, Michael Quirk and Barney Haggerty, who located on adjoining tracts of land. This was before any survey had been made in that region and when choice of location permitted them to settle on the timber land along the river. Mr. Quigley erected a log house and engaged upon his task of farm building, subsequently purchasing railroad land for whiih he paid from five to eight dollars an acre. He continued his farming operations for some sixteen years, developing a fine farm of six hundred acres, equipped with modem buildings, his farming enterprise for the most part being devoted entirely to the raising of gi'ain. Of late years he has divided his land among his children and retained seventy-five acres for his own use. This is in section fifteen of Tynsid tovvn.sliip. Mr. Quigley is one of the oldest and best known citizens of the county, where the many yeare of his residence have been enriched by the kindly service and genial friendsliip which have characterized his career. Like many of his gifted country men, a native humor and genius for relating tales, enlivened his rich store of interesting anecdotes of pioneer days; his memory retaining many amusing incidents which made for a good laugh in that period of privations and hard work. He has always been a loyal supporter of the democratic party and influential in public affairs and has given able service in the various local offices of public responsibility. Mr. Quigley was married to Elizabeth Cookman, whose death occurred in 1911. Nine children were born to this union, of whom seven survive, Mary, the wife of W. B. Hamilton, of Fisher, Nicholas, Fred, Tom, who is living in Seattle, Washington, Patrick, Frank, and Nellie. The latter has kept the home for Mr. Quigley since the death of the mother. A son and daughter, Willie and Laura, died in their yoiith. Fred Quigley, Patrick Quigley and Frank Quigley are all Polk county farmers, operating the land given ihem by their father. Mr. Quigley was one of the original members of the Catholic church at Fisher.

Carl Quern

The scion of a family that has played an important part in the affairs of Polk county from the early days of its history, Carl Quern, one of the progressive and prosperous farmere of Higdem township has well sustained the record and traditions of the family in his own career. He is a native of Minnesota, born in Renville county, July 2, 1871. In 1895, when his father, C. C. Quern, bought 480 acres of land in Section 21, Higdem township, Carl and his brother-inlaw. Gust Nelson, rented the tract together and occupied it as tenants for six years. The next five yeai's were passed by Carl in Roseau county, Minnesota, where he had taken up a homestead. He proved up on this and then sold it for $1,600, having put fully one-half of it under cultivation.

In 1905 he returned to the Higdem township farm of 480 acres in this county, of which he was given charge, and the next year he w as placed in control of the whole section, his father having bought the remaining East quarter for $5,600, although the whole of the other three-quarters had cost him only $<3,000. The son managed the whole section until two years ago, when Mr. Nelson returned from Roseau county, where he also had taken up a homestead. Since then each of them has operated one-half of the section, but Mr. Quern farms 80 acres lying near by that is owned by his wife.

The dwelling house on the land occupied by Mr. Quern was there when his father bought the tract, but the son has done some building almost eveiy year, and among his works of construction are commodious and convenient barns. He keeps over fifty head of cattle and has a fine herd of Shorthorns started. In 1915 he raised 8,000 bushels of wheat, oats and barley, the crops to which he has given his attention principally, but he also plants regularly about forty acres in com, of which his crops are also quite large.

The public affairs of his township have received Mr. Quern 's interested and servieable attention at all times. He has served on the township board and is now the township supei-visor. While living in Roseau county he helped to organize a new township there. He is independent in politics and a Lutheran in religion with membership in Granville church, of which he is also one of the trustees. On January 17, 1901 , he was united in marriage with Miss Ella Syrstad, wlio was born on the farm of eighty acres which she now owns. She is a daughter of Andrew and Ellen (Rekstad) Syrstad, who settled on that farm in 1878, after having lived eight years in Wisconsin, where they were married. Both were born in Norway and both died on the farm in Higdem township, the mother passing away when her daughter and only child, Ella, was in her infancy, and the father in 1911.

Mrs. Quern's father married as liis second wife Miss Marit Solstad. They had four cliildren who reached maturity : Mrs. JIary Seines and her brother Ole Syrstad, who live on parts of the old homestead; Martin Syrstad, who has been reared from his childhood by ilrs. C. C. Quern, and their sister Annie, who is the wife of Samuel Dahl, of Xashwauk, Jliunesota. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Quern are Arthur, Evelyn, Oscar, Jlildred and Iner.

John Amundson

Being the onlj- one left of the I'csolute and selfreliant men who broke into the wilderness of Fairfax township, this county, and laid the foundations of its civil institutions and started it on its career of progress, development and service to mankind, John Amuudson, whose fine farm is located in Section 22 seven miles southeast of Crookston, is entitled to special consideration as a type of hardihood and endurance that is fast fading from view, and also for the service he has rendered to the localitj- in which he lives and the people of Polk county in general.

Mr. Amundson was bom in Norway, August 24, 1848, and came to the United States in 1867, when he was nineteen years of age, joining his two sisters and one brother, who had come over a year before and were located in Dunn county, Wisconsin. He passed eleven years in that state, working as a cook in lumber camps, a cutter in saw mills and a clerk in stores. In 1878 he came to this county, and during the next three years clerked in the .store of W, D. Baile,y, then rendered the same service for three years in the large general store of Fontaine & Anglim, and during the two years following in otlier stores. When he arrived in this county, however, he took up a lioniestead, which is part of the farm on which he now lives.

It was necessary that the new homesteader should make his living at some other occupation until his land could be put into condition to yield one, so he kept on clerking and hired others to break up his farm and make improvements on it. He proved up on it in due time at $1.25 an acre and lived on it during the year 1881. He then returned to Crookston to live, and since then has dwelt in the cit3' at several different times. He was an excellent writer, very skillful with his pen, and a good accountant in those days, and his services were frequently required in different county offices. In 1884 and 1885 he served as deputy register of deeds under John Patterson, and in 1890 and 1891 filled the same position under John Loeken. In 1892 he was himself elected register of deeds as the candidate of the People's party, for a term of two years.

Mr. Amundson also rendered the federal government valued service for some eight months, taking the census of three townships in 1890 and afterward doing abstract work in the court house for the United States census bureau. He was a potent force in helping to organize Fairfax township and was its first clerk, serving it afterward in various other positions. The first township election was held at his residence, and that has since been the township meeting place for all pulilic duties. For many years in succession he was school clerk for his district.

In addition to his original homestead Mr. Amundson now owns 400 acres of good land, his farm being all in one body, and all well improved and mostly under cultivation. He raises grain and live stock, keeping generally about 35 head of Shorthorn cattle and a large number of hogs. He also milks 25 cows to furnish cream for an extensive wholesale trade he has built up. During the last three years he has had 20 to 25 acres in corn, and the yield has been abundant as his land is well ditched and drained. There is a county ditch half a mile south of the farm which his influence and enterprise were most forceful in procuring.

At the age of twenty-eight Mr. Amundson was married in Wisconsin to Miss Hilda Jensen, also a native of Norway. They have six children: Alfred, who is living ou the farm; Arthur, who is employed in the Crookston office of the Great Northern railroad ; Josie, who is the wife of Edward Simpson, of Crookston; Olive Giua, who is the wife of Gust. Barnass, of Crookston; and Sophia and "Olive," who are living at home. All the children have attended the Crookston high school, and all the members of the family belong to the United Lutheran church in Crookston.

Arne J. Haugen

Arne J. Haugen, a well known farmer of Badger township and a director in the State Bank of Erskine, was born in Norway, March 3, 1867, and came to the United States as a lad of eighteen years, borrowing the money for his passage from his brother. For a few months he worked on a farm in Ottertail county and in November, 1885, joined his father iu Polk county, where they located on the land, in section twenty-six of Badger township which is Mi*. Haugen 's present home. They continued to work iu partnership and his father lived there until his death in May, 1911, at the advanced age of eighty-two. His wife's death preceded his by eight years. Arne J. Haugen has never married and with his sister, Gustava Haugen, is the only surviving member of the family. The latter makes her home with her brother as housekeeper. The Haugen farm was formerly the homestead of Julius Bradley and upon coming into Mr. Haugen 's possession was for the most part wild land and occupied only by a claim shack. He has put eighty acres in cultivation and has reclaimed some low land with ditching. The remaining tract is retained as pasture land, Mr. Haugen being interested in raising highgrade stock. He also engages in dairying. Through his able efforts and farming ability he has built up a prosperous estate of two hundred acres and has also given his service and attention in other fields of local activity, being identified with two notable enterprises of that region, as vice president of the co-operative creamery at Erskine and stockholder and director iu the Erskine State bank. He has been frequently called to public service by his fellow citizens and has held the ofSces of township assessor and township treasurer, chairman of the board and for fifteen years was a member of the school board.

Peter J. Hedlund

This highly esteemed and truly representative farmer of Higdem township, who, in compauj' with and assisted by his sons, eiiltivates 410 acres of land that is highly improved and very productive, was born in the province of Vermland, Sweden, May 15, 1846, and came to the United States in 1888, coming direct to Polk county on his an-ival in this country as he had relatives living here. He had been a farmer in his native land but had no capital, as all his early manhood had been devoted to the service of his parents. He had, however, increased and intensified his self-reliance through service in the Swedish army, and felt equal to any requirement his new home might make of him.

Soon after his arrival in this couuty he bought eighty acres of land of the railroad company at $7 an acre, going in debt for the purchase money and working out at farm labor to provide for his living and pay the debt. In 1888 he put up a little log house as a home for his family, and this was occupied by it until 1915, when he erected an eight-room modern farmhouse with every present-day convenience, including a hot water heating plant, the cost of the structure being more than $4,000.

Mr. Hedlund and his sons are engaged in general farming and raising live stock, and they have prospered at the business on a large scale. The parents of the household were married in Sweden and had six children before comiug to this countri^, the youngest of their seven being bora in Polk coimty. The mother's maiden name was Mary Johnson, and the children are Peter X., John, Annie, Johannes, Emil, Maria and AVilliam. Auuie is the wife of John Strong and lives in Marshall county four miles from her father's home. Maria is the wife of Lars Kleven and they are engaged in farming in North Dakota.

Emil, the fourth son of the family, has a homestead in Beltrami county, but he still lives at home with his parents and his brothers, all of whom are, like himself, unmarried. Peter, John and Johannes own

290 acres of laud near the family homestead and they all work together, farming their own and their father's land to the best advantage. Being progressive and studious young men, they apply to their farming operations the results of their study and observation and conduct them according to the most approved methods of the present day. They and their father usually vote with the Republican party in general elections, and they all take an active and serviceable part in the affairs of their township, being keenly alive to everything that is likelj- to improve conditions for it and its residents.

This enterprising, progressive and very successful farmer is probably the best known man in Northwestern Polk county, and his fine home on the bank of the Red River of the North, Section 17 and adjoining sections, Higdem township, is one of the most attractive and valuable in the county, and one of the most hospitable and popular rural resorts in this part of the countrJ^ It is one mile south of the county line, three miles south of Oslo and about twenty miles north of Grand Porks.

Mr. Bang was born in Valges, Norway, October 17, 1847, and came to the United States in the spring of 1869, locating at Madison, Wisconsin. He had lived in Christiania, the capital of his native land, and had there worked at his trade as a tailor until he saved enough money to bring him to this country and give him a start here. He had relatives at Madison, and worked at his trade in and about that city three yeare, saving his earnings and getting ready for future undertakings of greater magnitude.

In 1872 Mr. Bang moved to Taylors Palls, Minnesota, and there during the next five years he carried on a prosperous merchant tailoring business. At the end of the period named he moved up the St. Croix valley to Grantsburg, Burnett county, Wisconsin, where he opened a general store on the $3,000 capital he had saved in his eight years' work in this eountrj-.

While conducting his store he also bought tax titles in timber lands about thirty miles up the St. Croix river until he had acquired title to about two sections. The sale of such titles then being over, he began to cut the timber on his holdings, which he continued to do for three years. The land had been cut over but there was still timber standing on it amounting to about one million and a half feet, and ^Ir. Bang found cutting this very profitable. At the end of six years of storekeeping and timber cutting he found he had accumulated a capital of $15,000, and he determined to change his base of operations.

In 1883 Mr. Bang came to Crookston and ])ought the Scandinavian Hotel and saloon, then owned by Evan Overland, and in these he conducted a profitable business for six years. He then invested in 160 acres of his present farm on Red river, and located on it and began the improvements which have made his place so productive and valuable. He kept on buying land at low rates until he owned 2,000 acres, pui*- chasing a whole section of school land at $6. .50 an acre, railroad land at $9 to $18 and other land at $10 an acre. He has since sold all but 900 acres. He improved the whole body and made it productive, however, while he owned it, giving his whole time and attention to it and seeking no other occupation except for four years, during which he was associated in the hardware trade with John Brant at East Grand Forks, and of late years being a stockholder in the Arneson Mercantile company of East Grand Forks.

Half of Mr. Bang's 900-acre farm is in timber, making a fine pasturage. Still he raised in 1915 some 10,000 bushels of wheat, barley, oats and flax. He keeps forty head of Shorthorn cattle and thirty of horses, and milks fifteen cows to make butter for private customers in Grand Forks. He has shown fruit can be raised to advantage here, having 300 bearing apple trees whose products have taken premiums in exhibits at Crookston. In politics he is a Republican and in religion a Lutheran, being an

Mr. Bang was married at Blue Earth, Minnesota, in 1876, to Miss Jennie Olson, who was born on the ocean. They have six children living: Emma, who is the wife of Victor Peterson of Grand Porks ; Annie, Henry, Rose, and Elida, who are living at home ; and Clara, who is the wife of Ole Quern, as indicated in a sketch of C. C. Quern, to be found in this work. Mr. Bang is a fisherman of some devotion to the sport and frequently visits the trout streams of Wisconsin to gratify his taste in this direction.

K. E. Plaskerud, of Brandsvold township, a wellknown farmer and the clerk of that township, is a native of Iowa, born in Winneshiek county, in 1861. His parents were natives of Norway and were among the first of their countrymen to emigrate to the United States. In 1864 they removed to Freeborn county. Minnesota, from Iowa, and there K. E. Plaskerud was reared. When he was twenty-three years of age he went to North Dakota and bought land in Grand Forks county and lived there until 1891, when ho came to Polk county and purchased the 160 acres on section 17 of Brandsvold township, which is his present home. This place had been the homestead of Andrew Thronson, who had settled on it in 1883. He had cleared about twenty acres and built a one-room log house and received $1,300 from Mr. Plaskerud for the property. The latter has put 120 acres under cultivation, reclaiming some twenty-five acres of lowland with ditches and has every acre in use. With capable management and progressive farming methods he has increased the value of his land to seventyfive dollars an acre and has equipped his farm with good buildings. He engages successfully in dairy farming and stockraising, breeding Red Polled cattle, and sells his dairy produce to the creamery at Posston, four miles northwest of his place. Mr. Plaskerud is a carpenter and aside from his farming occupations has been busily employed at that trade. He has ever taken a public spirited interest in the welfare of the community and has given his services and influence freely in support of the best interests of the county and has capably discharged the duties of the various township offices to which he has been elected. He has served as chairman of the township board, treasurer of the township, justice of the peace and eleven years as township clerk, which office he now holds. As a member of the school board for nineteen years, he has given his particular interest to the development of the educational system of the district, and school No. 282 stands on land which he donated for school purposes. Mr. Plaskerud is not pledged to any political faith, but reserves the right to vote for his own views and the man of his choice. He is a shareholder and secretary and former director of the Farmers Cooperative store at Posston, a prosperous enterprise which has proved of great benefit to the agricultural district. The company has over seventy stockholders, with a capital stock of $73,000, and conducts an annual business of about twenty-five thousand dollars. Mr. Plaskerud was married in North Dakota to Gunueld Milfald, who was bom in Norway in 1868. Ten children have been born to this union. The two oldest sons, Edwin and Clarenee, and Melvin, are all living with their parents. Jlr. have taken claims in Montana and the other children, Flaskerud and his family are members of the Synod Gilbert, Selmer, Clara, Olga, Mabel, Henry, Autou Liztheran church at Fosston.

Andrew Heierstad

This wide-awake and progressive farmer, who is prosperous at his business because he knows how to manage it to good advantage and make every hour of his time and cvei'y ounce of his energy profitable, has a large and fertile farm in section thirty-four, Iligdem township, fifteen miles northwest of East Grand Forks, which he has acquired wholly by his own industry, thrift and good business capacity, and which by his skill as a farmer he has made one of the attractive and valuable rural homes in the township of its location.

Mr. Heierstad was bom in Norway, January 22, 1843, and came to the United States in 1869, locating for a time in Winneshiek county, Iowa. There he was employed as a farm laborer at $16 a month, and he lost even that meager pay. He worked at harvesting and threshing and loaned out his money and never got some of it back. In the spring of 1878 he came to Polk county with $1,000 in cash and took up a homestead and a tree claim, and on these he has passed his time and expended his energies ever since. He planted five acres of his homestead and ten acres of his tree claim in timber, and he now has fifteen acres of fine wood land which he has kept clean and cultivated and developed into one of the best tracts of artificial timber in the county. It consists of ash, box elder and cotton wood trees and is very flourishing.

the more modern and commodious residence he has since erected. For breaking the first ten acres of his land he was obliged to hire the service, as he had no oxen of his own, but since then he has depended on himself and has made progress nearly all the time, although he has several times had the greater part of his crops destroyed by hail, sometimes scarcely saving enough for seed, and had three horses and two cows killed in his barn by lightning in one storm, but saved the barn. His principal attention has been given to raising grain, and in 1915 he produced 2,000 bushels of wheat, 1,200 bushels of oats and 500 bushels of barlej'. He has recently purchased twenty acres of timber land on the Red river two miles distant from his farm, but which he uses in connection with the farm.

After living in dreary loneliness as a bachelor for twelve years on this farm in Higdem township, Mr. Heierstad was married in 1890 to Miss Christine Torgeson, who died six months later. Then, on February 22, 1891, he contracted a second marriage, which united him with Miss JIaret Sletteu. They have three children : Mary, who is the wife of Henry Hanson and has one child, their son Arthur, but who, with her husband and child, is still living with her parents; and Gina and Hilda, who are also living at home. All the members of the family belong to the Synod Lutheran church and take a very cordial and helpful interest in the affairs of the congregation in which they hold their membership.

Arnt Olson

Owning one of the finest farms in the northern part of Polk county, which he has redeemed from the waste and made what it is, and which he has improved with a fine large dwelling house, commodious barns and other necessary structures, Arnt Olson, whose land is the Northwest quarter of Section 10 and the Northeast quarter of Section 9, in Higdem township, is well fixed in worldly possessions, and he has the satisfaction of knowing that all he has he has acquired by his own persistent industry, his careful frugality and his good judgment in the management of his affairs.

Mr. Olson was born in Norway about eighty years ago, and when he first came to the United States passed about six j-ears and a half in Wisconsin working in tlie pineries, at sawmills and on river drives. He then returned to his native land, where he remained two years and a half. On his return to this country in 1879 he located in Polk county, Minnesota, and took up a homestead which is pai't of the farm on which he now lives. He had only $200 in money, but settled down determined to win his way in spite of all difBculties that might arise in his progress. He built a little log house with no floor in it, but this he occupied only a few months. He then built a better dwelling with a floor and turned the first structure into a stable.

The second quarter section of land Mr. OLson acquired was railroad land for which he paid $8 an acre. This was flat and wet, as was a large part of his other land, and he was not able for some time to raise any crops of value. The new section was devoted largely to raising hay, but this was often spoiled by the water on the land and his other crops were injured by early frosts. But he persisted in his efforts, gradually getting his farm drained and improved, and then it began to respond to the persuasive hand of the husbandman in a very fruitful manner, which it has done in an increasing volume steadily ever since. In addition to this farm he owns a tract of eighty acres half a mile distant in Marshall county, the farm being on the line between that county and Polk, two miles east of the Red river, three and one-half miles southeast of Oslo, five and one-half miles southwest of Alvardo and twenty miles north of Grand Forks. He raises wheat, oats and barley, and produces large quantities of each.

Two years ago, that is in 1913, Mr. Olson built his present large dwelling house and fine new bams. He has had three sons. One of them died in childhood. Another is now a resident of Seattle. Carl, the third son, is still living with him and now has charge of the home farm. The father has long been one of the active members of the church at Granville. He has taken none but a good citizen's part in public affairs and never held or desired a political office of any kind, either by election or appointment.

Thomas Sandbm

The life of this enterprising and useful citizen of Scandia township, this county, has been the uneventful one of a quiet and unostentatious farmer, and he has sought no place in the limelight of public esteem or prominence among men. He has, nevertheless, exhibited the qualities of sturdy and sterling manhood and the public-spirit and progressiveness of wideawake, initiative and productive American citizenship of a serviceable character.

Mr. Sandem is a native of Norway, where he was born February 21, 1863, and where he lived until he reached the age of twenty years. In 1883 he emigrated to the United States and located in Minnesota. During the first year of his residence here he worked at whatever he could find to do in this state and Canada, and after that confined his operations to Minnesota, but continued to work for other men until 1887. In that year he took up a homestead of 160 acres on Section 26, Scandia township, on which he settled in 1889, and on which he has since resided.

To make a tract of wild land over into a productive and profitable farm, and to build a comfortable and attractive home in a new locality on the frontier, is a work of magnitude and requires constant and welldirected industry, along with the endurance of much privation, a considerable degree of hardship and some danger. Mr. Sandem has achieved this great work because he had the qualities needed for its accomplish- ment, and he is uow enjoyiug the fruits of his long j'ears of toil and endurance in a comfortable home of 280 acres of good land enriched with buildings suited to his needs erected by himself. He has also given good service to his fellow citizens and the general public around him as township treasurer and treasurer of School District No. 211.

Sandem was united in marriage with Miss Selma M. Johnson, who is a native of Sweden and came to this fountry in May, 1892. Five children have blessed tlieir domestic shrine and brightened their home. They are Marie, Thorine, Esther, Soffus and Eveline, all of whom are still members of the parental family circle.

Ed Salversou, for many years a successful farmer of By gland township, was born in Norway, January 2, 1842, and died at his home in Polk county, Febniary 15, 1912. When Ed Salverson died he was the owner of 104 acres of land. He was brought to the United States by his parents when four years of age and was reared in Wisconsin and lived until 1890 in Waupaca county in that state. He owned also 160 acres at Waupaca and a big building. His life was devoted to farming interests and the years of industry attended by marked business ability brought the noteworthy success attested to in the large and prosperous estate which he built up. For twenty-five years his activities were confined to Polk county and he was one of the leading farmers of Bygland township where he owned and operated two farms. The home farm is a four hundred and eighty acre tract in sections one and twelve, located on the south bank of the Red Lake river, six miles west of Fisher and the other farm lies but one mile distant and comprises two hundred acres. Mr. Salverson was three times married. Two children were born to the first union, who are both dead, the son, Oscar Salverson having died in 1911, in Washington, and Thea Caroline, who was married to Elias Erickson and died one year after. His second marriage was contracted after coming to Polk county, with Seger Krostue, a sister of Gunder Krostue and a son, Sherman, survived the death of the mother. On March 15, 1896, Mr. Salverson was married to Berget Stallemo and five children were born to them, Annie, Gertie, Julia, Josephine and Norman. They also took in their home, in her infancy, a little girl, Alice, who is now four years of age. Since the death of Mr. Salverson, the direction of the estate has been most capably assumed by his wife who is ably forwarding the prosperous interests. She was born in Norwa.y, the daughter of Nels Stallemo and was brought at an early age to Wisconsin where the family remained until 1879 when Nels Stallemo removed to Polk county and took a homestead, five miles west of Fisher, in Bygland township. Both he and his wife spent the last years of their life in the Salverson home, where he died in September, 1912. Her deatli occurred one year later. Their son, John Stallemo, is a farmer in Polk county, operating the 160 acre farm in Bygland township, for his sister, Mi-s. Salvei-son.

Ole G. Olson

Ole G. Olson, a pioneer of Polk county and prominent farmer of Huntsville township, was born in Norway and died at Grand Forks, February 26, 1909. His sons, Gustav Olson and Andrew Olson have operated the Olson homestead for a number of years and have extensive farming interests in Polk county. Ole G. Olson was eighteen years of age when he accompanied his parents to the United States. This was in the early forties, during the first movement of emigration from Numdalh, Norway. Wisconsin was the destination of the family but tlieir funds giving out at Rochester, N. Y., they were compelled to i-emain there a year before completing their journey. From Milwaukee, they traveled with ox teams to Rock county, Wisconsin, where they located and were among the first Norwegian settlers in tliat country. In 1852, Ole Olson heard the call of the west and sailing around Cape Horn, joined the prospectors in California. Here he remained for six years and then returned to Wisconsin, having saved sufficient capital from his Californian sojourn to finance a mercantile enterprise. For a few years he engaged in business at Edgerton, Wisconsin, and then removed his interests to Deeorah, Iowa, where after several years, in 1865, he sold his store and invested his capital in a woolen mill, of which he was one of the organizers. This venture proved a failure but during the j^ears of its operations he visited the Red River valley several times, selling the products of the mill and in 1878, when the end of the milling enterprise left him practically penniless, he decided to secure land in that region and rebuild his fortunes, and took a homestead claim and a tree claim in Sullivan township, three miles east of East Grand Forks. With a few hundred dollars and a team of horses, he entered upon his farming activities in the frontier country, working his way to success and prosperous accomplishment during the fourteen years of his farming operations. His first buildings were a small shanty for a home and a sod stable which he was soon able to replace with good modern buildings. The tree claim, he turned over to his son Gustav Olson, who filed upon it, and secured the title. In 1892, Ole Olson retired from the farm, renting his property to his sons and took up his residence in Grand Forks where he opened a feed store and continued active in the business circles of that city for several years. His death came at the end of* a long and useful career, marked by successful business attainment and worthy service as a pioneer citizen. He is survived by his wife and three children, Gustav, Andrew and Ellen, who married G. L. Holton, a retired farmer, living at Grand Forks. Mr. Olson was married in 1861, at Deeorah, Iowa, to Betsy Amundson, who like her husband was a native of Norway, coming to the United States in early childhood. She was reared in Dane county, Wisconsin, and since the death of her husband has made her home with her daughter. Gustav Olson and Andrew Olson have succeeded to their father's farming interests and since assuming management of the estate in 1892, have steadily added to the property and now own eight hundred acres of Polk county land, which includes four farms, all of which are devoted to their extensive operations as dairy farmers. Although they harvest large crops of grain their principal interest has been given to dairying and stock farming, in which they have been eminently successful and they operate a milk route in Grand Forks. Their farm is stocked with blooded stock, cattle and horses, among the latter being many fine specimens of Percherons. The Olson brothers are both that type of citizen whose earnest co-operation is freely given to the broader interests of the community and whose ability is devoted not only to the advancement of their private interests but for the development of the commonwealth. They have each served as a school director and actively promoted good roads and drainage projects. Andrew Olson was married to Bertha Olson of Postville, Iowa, and they have four children, Oscar, who is a student in the North Dakota Agricultural college at Fargo ; Anna, Theodore and Bertina.

Charles J. Bye

Endowed by nature with a keen insight into the purposes and motives of men, which has been intensified by extensive contact with his fellows, and possessing clearness and quickness of vision in seeing and alertness in seizing opportunities and using them for his advancement, Charles J. Bye, one of the leading and successful mercbauts of Niclsville, this county, is justly regarded as an excellent business man, and bis abiding and serviceable interest in the welfare and progress of bis community has given bim a high rank in the confidence and esteem of the people around him as ail enterprising, far-seeing and productively useful citizen.

Mr. Bye is a native Minnesotan and devoted to the enduring good of the state. He was born in Houston county, March 28, 1867. In 1871, bis parents, John 0. and Matbea (Jacobson) Bye, natives of Norway, moved to Cass county. North Dakota, and there tbeir son Charles remained until the fall of 1884. For five years he was assistant in the oiSce of the county trea-surer of Cass county. North Dakota, and during that same period of five years and until 1891 be was manager of a musical organization at Fargo, North Dakota.

In 1891 Jlr. Bye again became a resident of Minnesota, locating at Comstock, Clay county, where he was employed as a bookkeeper for about four years. In the fall of 189-1 be moved to Niclsville, this county, and started the mercantile business in which be is still engaged. He carries a general stock of merchandise and conducts his business with enterprise and breadth of view, studying the needs of his community and taking every necessary step to provide for them completely in every particular.

Since taking up bis residence in Polk county, Mr. Bye has been active and stimulating in connection with every project for the good of the community in which he has lived and zealous and discriminating in promoting all that be has considered wise and worthy. He was appointed postmaster of Nielsville in May, 1897, and he has held the office continuously since that time. His services in it have been very acceptable to the patrons of the office and there has been no disposition to disturb him in tlie occupancy of it.

Henry G. Mitchell

Henry G. Mitcbell, a prominent farmer of Woodside township, is one of the pioneer citizens of Polk county. He is a native of New England, born in 1845 and as a youth, saw much valiant service in defense of the Union. He enlisted in the Second Connecticut, Heavy Artillery and participated in the campaign of the army of the Potomac. In the engagement of Cold Harbor be was wounded by a minnie ball and was forced to spend several inactive montbs and returned to his regiment, where he was detailed to special duty and continued to give honorable sei-vice to the close of the war. Upon his return to the occupations of peace, in 1865, he turned his attention to the opportunities presented in the increasing activities of the northwest and for several year.s resided in St. Paul, working at his trade of carpentering and in other employment and upon the completion of the Great Northern road into Polk county in 1878, came to Crookston, where he continued in the carpenter work. In 1881 he took a preemption claim on section eleven, of Woodside township, five miles southeast of the present village of Mentor, and this has continued to be his home. The land was covered with large timber which he sold as eordwood at Mentor. During the first years the work of clearing advanced slowly as most of bis attention was devoted to building work, he being engaged in the erection of the elevators for the Red River Valley Grain Company and in construction contracts in Crookston. In 1893 he retired from bis trade and has since devoted his efforts to his agi-icultural interests and cleared some sixty acres for cultivation and developed a prosperous farm. Mr. ]\Iitchell is now engaged in the remodeling and improving of his home which occupies a most sightly and pleasant location, but a short distance from Maple Lake, a popular resort lake, and has a delightful view overlooking a smaller body of water. Mr. Mitchell has given active cooperation in all matters of public moment ; has given able service in official capacity as township supervisor and clerk and has been prominent in the business progress of the farming community as organizer and president of the Mentor Co-operative Creamery Association, which was organized in 1914 and has some eighty shareholders. He is also a member and a director in the coopei-ative store. He was married in 1874, in Rush City, Minnesota, to Melvinia Hickerson, who is a native of Wisconsin and removed in her early childhood to Chisago county, Minnesota. They have a family of eight children, Guy, living on a homestead at Dora Lake, Itasca county, Minnesota ; Ruf us, a farmer near Big Forks, Minnesota; Laura, the wife of A. G. Cayler, of Ci-ookston ; Ida, who married Walter F. McLaughlin of Mentor; Roy, on the home farm; Etta, a teacher in the Polk county schools; Grace, also a teacher in the local schools and Ruth. Roy Mitchell is the present township clerk, being his father's successor after the twenty years of able service by the latter.

Alexander G. Spokely

A brief account of the history of the Spokely family will be found in a sketch of the parents of this enterprising, progressive and successful farmer of Hixbbard township, Polk county. They are Gunleik and Gunvor (Hagen) Spokely, also residents of Hubbard township, whei'e they settled in 1871, among the pioneers of the township. Their son Alexander was born on the parental homestead in that township August 30, 1879, and remained at home assisting his father on the fann until he reached the age of twentyone. He then joined his brother Adolph in keeping a saloon at Climax, with which he was connected about five years.

Farming presented more attractions to Mr. Spokely as an occupation for life than merchandising of any kind, and at the end of the period mentioned above he returned to it. In the fall of 1910 he took up his residence on the tract of 160 acres which he now owns and occupies in Section 28. Hubbard township, on which he has good buildings and other improvements, making it one of the comfortable and attractive homes in the township, and which he has brought to a high state of productiveness by his industry and intelligence as a farmer. He is wide-awake and progressive, and makes his attributes in these respects tell to his advantage in conducting his business. He is also an active participant in local public affairs, aiding in promoting the welfare of his township by his public spirit and breadth of view.

On October 30, 1900, Mr. Spokely was married in North Dakota to Miss Nellie Myrland, a native of that state. They have three children, their daughter Grace B. and their sons Glenn E. and Lowell D. A. The parents are held in high esteem for their sturdy and sterling citizenship and the helpful interest they take in everything designed to promote the welfare of the township.

Avle P. Brandvold

Avle P. Brandvold, a farmer of Knute township, is a native of Minnesota, born in Goodhue county, January 17, 1869. A cousin of Mr. Brandvold was one of the pioneers of eastern Polk county and in his honor the family name was conferred upon one of the towiiships in the Thirteen Towns. The parents of Avle P.

Brandvold came to Minnesota prior to the Civil war and located in Goodhue county. The father was a native of Nonvay and worked in the lumber woods in Wisconsin for some years after coming to America. He became a prominent farmer in Goodhue county, where he owned a half section of land and also owned a quarter sectiou iu I'olk county, south of Mcintosh. Avle Brandvold was reared on his father's homestead and on reaching manhood became the owner of a Goodhue county farm wliich lie operated unlil 1899 when he traded his property for his present farm in section twenty of Knut« township, which had bcfu owned by Martin I. Haugen, who lived near Fertile. The tract was partially improved, with forty acres of cleared land and a log barn and Mr. Brandvold erected the hoiise which is the present home. From this start and with a few head of stock he has advanced to his present extensive agricultural interests. Beside the home quarter, he now owns one hundred and sixty acres of improved land one mile north and another quarter section in Rosscau county. Mr. Brandvold has developed one of the model estates of this section and applies the most efficient and progressive methods in his farming enterprises, having equipped his barn with improved facilities for the care of stock. He has put one hundi'ed acres of the home fann imder cultivation and is also interested in stock farming, raising Short Horn cattle. He was married in 1894; to Gurine Haugen, a sister of Martin Haugen, of whom previous mention has been made. Of the family born to this union, eight children are now living, Peter, Agnes, Mabel, Ilelmer, Carl, Ida, Gladys and Arley. Mr. Brandvold and his family are members of the United Lutheran church at Rodness.

Hans H. Melbo

Hans H. i\Iclbo, of Gully, president of Ihe ilelbo Mercantile company and postmaster of that place, was born in Norway, October 2, 1872, and came to the United States as a lad of sixteen, locating at Wilmar. Minnesota, where he was employed as a farm laborur. After two years there, he removed to Lyon county, working on the farms in that county until 1896, when he went to the Red Lake reservation, which had just been opened for settlement, and took a claim in section 11 of Eden township, near the present site of Gully and about sixteen miles northeast of Fosstou. lie was one of the first settlers of this region and has continued to be notably identified, as an influenlial and public spirited citizen and progressive business man, with its growth and development. He embarked upon his farming enterprise with a capital of siiTOO, which he had thriftily accumulated, and this enabled him to advance the laborious work of clearing the land for profitable operation, and for some years he spent several months of each year working near Benson, Minnesota. His first home on this farm was a pioneer log cabin built of timber cut from the land, and he later erected a larger log house. He devoted his attention to the management of this farm for seven years, putting fifty acres under cultivation. In

1903 he entered upon his successful career in the commercial field, and in partnership with Nels M. Bolstad, opened a general store at Gully, about four years before the Soo railroad was built to that place. Mi". Bolstad, as a member of the firm of Kronschnabel & Bolstad, had operated the first store established at Gully, in a building which stood on the site now occupied by the Gully flour mills, which were erected in 1899. The firm of Bolstad & Melbo succeeded the first company, which had disposed of the old stock upon dissolving. Two years later, after the death of his partner, Mr. Melbo became the sole owner of the business, and when the railroad reached the town h(.' organized the Melbo IMercantile company, one of the most prosperous and popular stores in this section. This was the third store to open in the new village, the others being operated by Hans Pladsen and Gust Watnebiyn. The companj' was incorporated in December, 1910, with a capital of $10,000. Mr. Melbo is the president, with Oscar Thor, secretary and treasurer, and John F. Thoreen, of Stillwater, vice president. A fine commodious building, constructed to give front-age on two streets, was erected at the cost of $6,000, and is owned by the company. Its rapidly growing trade justified the addition of a department for farm machinery which was iustalled, with salesroom in the rear of the huilding. The enterprise has met with steadily increasing prosperity and now transacts an annual business of about thirty-five thousand dollars. Mr. Melbo is a member of the Republican party and has ever given capable service to the public interests in official capacity. He was supervisor and also clerk of Eden township for several years and in 1900 was the census enumerator for that townsliip and Queen township ; the population of the two, totaling 1,212 in that year. In 1907 he was appointed postmaster at Gully and has continued to serve in that position. The office now supports one rural route and its transactions command a quarterly salary of $275. JMr. Melbo is a member of the Modern Woodmen lodge and was active in its organization. He enjoyed frequent hunting trips in the days when game was abundant in this section, and recalls the hunting and killing of deer in the vicinity of the present site of Gully. His marriage to Hilda Bergdahe, of Fosston, occurred September 4, 1907, and they have three childi'en, Ervin, Alplia and Rolf. IMr. Melbo and his family are members of the Lutheran church at Gully.

Michael Driscoll

Although he is one of the largest landholders in Polk county, and one of its most successful and prosperous residents, Michael DriscoU, who lives on the East half of Section 28, Sullivan township, five and one-half miles east of East Grand Porks, has accunuilated all his property by his own industry, thrift and good management, which qualities he has also employed in the service of his township greatly to its advantage. He was born in County Lanark, province of Ontario, Canada, June 26, 1856, and came to Polk county, Minnesota, in company with his brother John in 1878.

When they arrived in this county each of the two brothers took up a homestead, Michael getting the Northeast quarter and John the Northwest quarter of Section 28, in what is now Sullivan township. Edward Sullivan took up the Southeast quarter of this section and Michael bought it of him after he proved up on it, paying him $20 an acre for it. Mr. Sullivan had also taken up the Southwest quarter of the same section, and later John bought this of him. The DriscoU brothers then had a half-section apiece. When they reached this county they had about $50 each in money, which they had saved from their earnings while working in the lumber woods.

Mr. Sullivan had located here the fall before, and when the Driscolls left home they intended to locate either in the Red river valley or the valley of Forest river in North Dakota, where they also had a friend. When they inspected the North Dakota region they found that only two filings had been made in it, and they concluded to locate in Polk county, Minnesota. In 1879 John returned to his old Ontario home and the next spring he brought the other members of the family to Minnesota. Each of the boys had broken up twenty acres of his land, giving their work for the use of oxen to do it with, and together they liMd built a claim shanty in the spring of 1878.

In the winter Michael cut cord wood on the Dakota side of the Red river at 75 cents a cord, paying $4.50 a week for board, and he and a man he had with him each cleared $150 on the winter's work. Michael had bought a yoke of oxen and the next spring he bought another yoke. He then i-emained with his father and brothers, and worked for his father for ten years. His brother John married in 1882, but Michael remained single until February 14, 1887, when be was married to Miss Margaret O'Neill, the daughter of a neighbor of the family and eighteen years old at the time of her marriage.

In 1888 he built part of his present dwelling and took up his residence in it. By that time he had his land all broken up, and in 1891 he set out trees for a windbreak. He has since bought the Northeast quarter of Section 16, the Northeast quarter of Sec- tion 22, the Southwest (luarter of Section 15 aud ciglity acres of the Northwest quarter of Section 15, enlarging his holdings here to 880 acres, and in addition he owns some timber land on the Red river, and he and his brother John together own 800 acres in Manitoba, none of which has yet been invaded by the plOAV. Recently he has given ICO acres in Seel ion 15 to his son, John James Driseoll.

Mr. Driseoll operates his farm with the aid of his sons. He raises corn for feed for his live stock and other grain for market. In 1915 he produced 20,000 bushels, using twenty horses in the work of cultivating his land. He also keeps fifty head of cattle and milks fifteen or sixteen cows. In addition he has bred Pereheron horses of a high grade, his exhibits in this line taking first honors at the North Dakota state fair.

From the beginning of his residence in this county Mr. Driseoll has been active and serviceable in local public affairs. He helped to organize his township, the meeting for the purpose being held at the residence of Timothy Sullivan, and the township being named in honor of that gentleman, who is now living in East Grand Forks retired from active pursuits. jMr. Driseoll is now and for twenty years has been chairman of the township board, and he was a member of it before his chairmanship began. He has also long been a member of the school board. His children number ten, and all of them except one of his two daughters are still living at home. The children are John James, Cecilia, Michael, Francis, Josephine, Ernest, Leslie, Lawrence, Earl and Clarence. Cecilia is the wife of Thomas Hanrehan, a farmer in Montana.

Louis Fontaine

One of the most forceful and fruitful influences for good in the early history of Polk county, particularly in the direction of peopling the wilderness and redeeming it to usefulness and the service of mankind, was embodied in the work of the late Louis Fontaine, for a long time the inspiring and controlling spirit of the most extensive and active mercantile business in this part of the state of Minnesota. His efforts were devoted, however, not to Polk county alone, but a large part of the whole Red River Valley. As early as 1872 he passed through a part of this valley, and he repeated his visit to and study of it several times during the few years following. His familiarity with the valley enabled him to speak and write with authority on its possibilities, which he very diligently did, and in 1878 he came to Crookston to reside, and within the same year his efforts, in connection with thase of Pierre Bottineau, the noted scout and guide, who moved here from Minneapolis, and Isaiah Gervais, who came from near St. Paul, were instrumental in directing large numbers of French-Canadians to this section. What followed is histoiy, and the results of the foresight and enterprise of these resolute pioneers

Mr. Fontaine was born at St. Hyacinthe, in the province of Quebec, Canada, January 11, 1840. He was a son of Louis and Justine (Martel) Fontaine, who were devoted to his welfare. But his adventurous disposition led him to quit the shelter of their roof and fireside at the age of fourteen and go forth to hew out his own career in the world. He came to Minnesota and found employment on a farm near St. Paul until 1858. He then moved to McLeod county, which was just opening to settlement, took up a claim and began farming on his own account, continuing to be so engaged until the Civil war began.