Trails-to-the-Past-Minnesota-Jackson-biographies

The Date in the ( ) is the date that the person became a resident of Jackson County

CHRIS DAHL. (1890), deceased, was a Petersburg township farmer. He was born in Chancey, now Clinton, Clinton county, Iowa, March 14, 1885. His father, Jens Dahl, is living: his mother Annie Dahl, died December 23, 1900. When he was five years old, in April, 1890, Chris came to Jackson county with his parents. He assisted his father in managing the farm until 1900, when the latter withdrew from the active management and Chris took charge. He engaged in farming the south half of the southwest quarter of section 25, Petersburg. He was a member of the D. B. S. lodge of Jackson. Mr. Dahl died during the summer of 1909.

SAMUEL DAHL (1890) is the proprietor of a general merchandise store at Okabena. He was born in Norway July 18, 1860, son of the late Amfred Dahl and Alma Dahl. His father died in 1889.

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

Mr. Dahl was married May 17, 1891, to Mary Rognes. They are the parents of the following named children: Albert M. born August 29, 1893: Lillian O. born November 4, 1896: Nettie A., born December 15, 1899; Sidney M. born April 21, 1902; Edith M., born March 12, 1904: Chester F., born November 4, 1905.

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

Mr. Dalziel was born near the city of Glasgow, Scotland, on April 28, 1870. His father died when he was one year of age and in 1883 he accompanied his mother to America, the family consisting of three children. The family home was made on the southwest quarter of section 28 Weimer township, and on that farm James has ever since resided. He has rented and conducted the farm for the past six years, the place being owned by his mother. The mother of our subject, who now lives in Heron Lake, is deserving of a great deal of credit for the success she has made since coming to Jackson county. The trip across the water was made in the old steamer “Bolivia” in a three weeks’ trip, the boat being disabled. Mrs. Dalziel arrived in the country with her three children practically penniless, but by hard work and a determination to succeed she has secured a competence for her later years. She owns village properly in addition to the farm.

Our subject was married in Heron Lake May 16, 1899, to Stella Anderson, who was born in Illinois July 10, 1883. Three children have been born to this union: Willard born December 15, 1901: Zola, born May 3, 1904. and baby boy, born December 15, 1909. Mr. Dalziel is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the M. B. A. lodge.

FRANK E. DAY (1895), a retired businessman of Heron Lake, was born in Salem, Ohio, August 8, 1865, the son of William A. and Nancy (Heisler) Day. At the age of two years he moved with his parents to Newton, Iowa, and there he lived eighteen years, receiving an education in the Newton schools.

In 1883 Mr. Day moved to Marcus, Iowa, and for the next twelve years was engaged in farming. He moved to Heron Lake in December, 1890, bought the machine business of P. D. McKellar, and was engaged in that business many years. He sold a half interest to F. J. Appel in 1903 and in December, 1904, sold the rest of his interests to the same gentleman. During the time of his residence in Jackson county Mr. Day was the traveling representative of the Northwest Thresher company for one year and for two years served as boiler inspector for Jackson and Cottonwood counties. He is a member of the K. P. and M. B. A. lodges.

Mr. Day was married in November, 1889, to Miss Anna A. Cobb, who was born in Belle Plaine, Benton county, Iowa, in November, 1866. They are the parents of the following children: Jessie, J. Frank, Leslie, Elmer, J. William. Four children have died.

OBERT ELMER DIESON (1880), attorney at law of Heron Lake, was born and raised and has spent his entire life in that village. He is the son of the late T. A. Dieson and Annie (Albertson) Dieson, who were the third or fourth family to locate in the town of Heron Lake after its founding. Both parents were born in Christiania, Norway, and came to the United States when young, having been married at Houston, Minnesota. The father died in Heron Lake in 1900 at the age of 57 years. The mother’s home is still in Heron Lake, and she is 56 years of age.

Obert was born June 21, 1880. He was graduated from the Heron Lake high school in 1901 and one year later entered the law department of the Minnesota state university, from which he was graduated in the spring of 1905. He was admitted to the bar in April of that year and has since been engaged in the practice of his profession in Heron Lake. He practices in all state and federal courts. He is a member of Alpha Tan Omega fraternity of the Minnesota university and of Columbian Lodge No. 210. A, F. & A. M.. of Heron Lake.

PETER DILLEY (1892) owns and farms a quarter section farm on section 11, Enterprise township, where he has lived for the last eighteen years. He is a native of Huntington, England, and was born June 20, 1860, son of George Dilley, who resides with his son, and Ann (Kay) Dilley, who is dead.

Peter attended school from the age of five to nine years and when a little older learned the blacksmith’s trade. He came to the United States at the age of twenty-one years and located at Orland, Cook county, Illinois. There he resided eleven years, spending the first year working at his trade and the rest engaged in farming. In 1885 he bought his present farm in Enterprise township, and in March, 1892, moved to Jackson County and located upon the farm, where he has ever since lived. He is a director and stockholder of the Farmers Elevator company of Alpha and has stock in the Enterprise creamery. He holds the office of chairman of the township board and has served for thirteen years, and for seven years he was a director of his school district. He is a member of M. W. A. lodge No. 6383, Alpha.

Mr. Dilley was married March 22, 1885, to Hattie Troffer. She died April 6, 1891. The second marriage of Mr. Dilley occurred July 30, 1891, when he wedded Jane Beagley, of Orland, Illinois. She was born June 26, 1867. To these parents have been born the following named children: Cecelia, born June 2, 1892; Gordon, born November 8, 1894; Lilly, born March 26, 1896; Mary, born September 17, 1897; Flossie, born April 8, 1899; Bernard, born September 2, 1902; Annie, born October 26, 1903: Leonard, born March 31, 1905; Bessie, born November 29, 1906.

LEO J. DOSTAL (1899), register of deeds of Jackson county, was born in Winneshiek county, Iowa. September 1, 1866 the son of Frank and Josephine (Pribyl) Dostal. In his native county he lived twelve years and then accompanied his parents to Worth county, Iowa, in 1878. He completed his education in a parochial school in Worth County from which he was graduated in 1886.

Mr. Dostal grew to manhood on his father’s farm in Worth county. He moved to Jackson county, Minnesota, in May 1899 and bought an eighty acre farm in Des Moines township a short distance west of Jackson. He engaged in farming there until the beginning of the year 1909 when he moved to Jackson to enter upon the duties of the office of register of deeds, to which office he had been elected the fall before on the democratic ticket. Mr. Dostal still owns his farm in Des Moines. During his residence on the farm he served in various township offices. He is secretary of the Jackson County Farmers Mutual Lightning Insurance company.

At Manly, Iowa, on February 12, 1892 Mr. Dostal was married to Miss Anna Kloyda, who died September 13, 1903, aged 31 years, and to this union three children were born, as follows: Adeline H., born April 23, 1893; Lillian K., born November 27, 1895; Augusta A., born August 20, 1901. The second marriage of Mr. Dostal occurred at Jackson July 20, 1907, when he wedded Rosa Dgimela. To them has been born one child, Louis, born April 30, 1908. The family are members of the Catholic church and Mr. Dostal belongs to the Catholic Order of Foresters.

WILLIAM F. DREWS (1903), cashier and manager of the Farmers State Bank of Heron Lake, is a native of Carver county, Minnesota, and was born November 20, 1883. He is the fifth child of a family of nine children born to G. Drews and Augusta Drews. These parents now reside at Seaforth, Minnesota.

When William was six months old the family moved to Gibbon, Sibley county, Minnesota, and that was the family home fifteen years, William securing his education in the public schools of Gibbon. He located in Seaforth, Redwood county, and engaged in the hotel business with his father until 1903. That year he moved to Heron Lake and took a position as bookkeeper in the Farmers State Bank. He was made assistant cashier in 1905 and cashier in 1908 and has had charge of the bank for the past three years. Mr. Drews is a member of the Heron Lake village council. Fraternally he is associated with the Masonic, Eastern Star and Woodmen lodges.

The marriage of our subject occurred in Heron Lake June 20, 1907, when he wedded Jennie Smith, a native of Heron Lake and a daughter of John T. Smith.

JOHN DUNKER (1891) owns and farms the southeast quarter of section 12, Enterprise township, which has been his home for the last eighteen years. Mr. Dunker is a German by birth, having been born in the fatherland May 23, 1858, the son and John and Lizzie Dunker.

Mr. Dunker’s parents died when he was seven years of age and he was thrown on his own resources at an early age. He came to America when fourteen years of age, landing in the city of New York May 4, 1872. Locating at Havana, Mason county, Illinois, he grew to manhood there and after reaching mature years engaged in farming. He bought his present farm October 8, 1890, and the following March moved onto it and became a permanent resident of Jackson county. He has been engaged in farming since and for several years was engaged in operating a threshing machine and corn sheller.

Mr. Dunker has been married twice. His first marriage was to Dora Webber, whom he married May 28, 1882. She died September 7, 1891. To this union were born the following named children: Fred, born August 1, 1883; Henry, born January 12, 1886: Mary, born December 20, 1888; Maggie, born March 10, 1890. The second marriage of Mr. Dunker occurred October 28, 1894, to Annie Golz, of Berlin, Germany. To them have been born the following named children: Dick, born September 16, 1895: Lizzie, born February 19, 1897; Bertha, born March 8, 1898; Charles, born November 30, 1901; William, born January 3, 1905; Dora, born May 1, 1908. The family are members of the German Lutheran church of Kimball township. He holds the office of clerk of school district No. 20.

WILLIAM C. DUNLOP (1899) is a farmer and land owner of Hunter township and resides on section 3 one mile east of Lakefield. He has been a resident of the county for the last ten years.

He was born in Columbia county, Wisconsin September 27, 1869 the son of William and Jennett (Caldow) Dunlop. His parents were born in Scotland but came to America with their parents when children and were married in this country. They located in Columbia county, Wisconsin, and there the father of our subject still lives, being seventy years of age. The mother of our subject died there in 1891. There were eight children in the family, named as follows: Gabriel, Jennett, William, Joseph and Jane, twins; Robert, died when ten years of age: Lizzie and Annie, twins.

William C. Dunlop lived on a farm with his parents until he reached his majority: then he engaged in farming for himself which he followed two years. From 1892 to 1890, when he was married, he engaged in carpenter work and threshing. After his marriage he again engaged in farming and was so occupied in Columbia county until he came to Jackson county on October 18, 1890. Upon his arrival Mr. Dunlop bought the northeast quarter of section 25 Rost township, and rented the southwest quarter of section 30, Hunter township, which he bought two years later. In the fall of 1907 he sold the last named land and bought his present eighty-three and one-half acre farm on section 3 Hunter, still retaining his Rost township farm. During his residence in Hunter township Mr. Dunlop has served two years as a supervisor and three years as chairman of the board. He was also clerk of school district No. 52 for five years, and he is now a director of district No. 112. He is a member of the Masonic and Modern Woodmen lodges.

At Lodi, Columbia county. Wisconsin, on September 24, 1896, Mr. Dunlop was married to Mayme Bullen, who was born in the town of Arlington July 15, 1873. She is the daughter of David and Hannah Bullen. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dunlop, Robert, born March 17. 1898: Ruth, born March 1, 1900.

MARSHAL B. DUNN (1867), who is engaged in the machine and engine business at Jackson, is one of the pioneers of Jackson county, having resided here since he was ten years of age. Mr. Dunn was born in Bangor, Maine, September 29, 1837 the son of James W. and Elizabeth M. (Seeley) Dunn, pioneers of Minnesota.

Our subject moved to Minnesota with his parents in 1860 and for two years lived on a claim in Meeker county. The father enlisted in the union army in September, 1861, being first sergeant of company B, Fourth Minnesota volunteers. He was wounded in the battle of luka, Mississippi, by a bullet in the leg, which he carried until his death. In 1862, while the head of the family was ill the army. Mrs. Dunn took her three children and sought refuge in Fort Ridgely and was present during the attack on that fort. Her name appears on the monument erected in memory of the defenders of the fort.

In the fall of 1862 the family moved to St. Paul, and there Marshal B. Dunn lived until he came to Jackson County. He accompanied the family to this county, arriving June 11, 1867 and grew to manhood on the farm in Petersburg township, Mr. Dunn was made deputy sheriff of Jackson county in 1894 and served in that capacity four years. He was elected sheriff in 1898 and held the office eight years. He has been deputy game warden at large the past two years, and is village constable. He owns 160 acres of land in Petersburg township, eighty acres in Minncota and village property. He is a member of the K. P., I. O. O. F., M. B. A. and M. W. A. lodges.

At Windom on October 1. 1870 Mr. Dunn was married to Anna L. Nourse. To them have been born the following named children: Elizabeth L., born in Jackson county October 10, 1886; Ney M., born July 23, 1888, died June 15, 1908; Donald S., born November 3, 1893; Kenneth S., born May 3, 1895. Mr. Dunn and family are members of the Presbyterian church. The son, Ney M., was captain of the state university football team at the time of his death.

CARL S. EASTWOOD (1883), postmaster of Heron Lake and editor and publisher of the Heron Lake News, is a veteran newspaper man and an early day resident of Jackson county. He was born at Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, August 21, 1858, the son of Levi and Rachel (Smith) Eastwood, the former a native of New York and the latter of Pennsylvania. Carl accompanied his parents from Wisconsin to Shell Rock, Iowa, in 1870, and in that town completed his education. At an early age he began learning the printer’s trade in the office of the Shell Rock News, then owned by W. V. Lucas. He remained with that gentleman four years, the first two being passed at Shell Rock and the last two at Mason City, Iowa. Returning to the former place, Carl purchased the paper on which he had learned his trade.

Mr. Eastwood became a resident of Jackson county on September 1, 1883, when he located at Lakefield and founded the Minnesota Citizen, which was later renamed the Lakefield Standard. He conducted the paper three years and from June, 1884, until he left the village he served as postmaster of Lakefield. Selling out his Jackson county publication, Mr. Eastwood went to Mankato and started the Mankato Register. He disposed of that property a little later, and in 1886 bought the Heron Lake News, which he conducted until 1893. Five years of the time of his residence in Heron Lake he served as postmaster and for seven years was a member of the village council. In the fall of 1893 Mr. Eastwood sold out at Heron Lake and bought the Worthington Advance, which he published three years. He then bought the Mankato Morning News, sold out within a year and moved to the northern part of Minnesota. From that time until December, 1902, Mr. Eastwood was engaged in the newspaper business in Menahga, Minnesota, where he was postmaster, and Homer, Michigan, and on the date last mentioned he returned to Heron Lake, bought back the News, and has since been its publisher. He was appointed postmaster in 1907. Mr. Eastwood is a member of the Masonic and Workmen orders.

At Wilder, Minnesota, on September 12, 1886, Mr. Eastwood was united in marriage to Miss Edith Church. To them have been born the following named children: Hazel, born August 1, 1887; Paul, born May 1, 1892; Frederick, born May 15, 1907.

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

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

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

JOHN C. EDLIN (1878) is one of the prosperous farmers and big landowners of Middletown township. He owns 408 acres of land in Minnesota and a quarter section in North Dakota. He has a fine farm, equipped with all modern improvements for its successful cultivation. He engages extensively in stock raising and has nothing but good grades.

Mr. Edlin is a native of Sweden and was born February 9, 1848, the son of Carl and Christina Edlin. He was raised on a farm and received a common school education. At the age of twenty-one years he left home and came to America, locating first in Rockford, Illinois, where he worked about six months. From that point he came to Minnesota and stopped at Mankato, working on the railroad for two years. He then engaged in farming in Cottonwood county and was so occupied five years. Mr. Edlin went to Red Wing in 1877, worked one year in that place, and then, in the fall of 1878, arrived in Jackson county, which was destined to be his home for many years. He bought a farm in Middletown that fall, then went east, and in the spring of 1879 came to reside permanently. During his residence in Middletown Mr. Edlin has served seven years as a member of the township board, twelve years as a director of the school board and eight years as road overseer. He is a member of the Lutheran church.

Mr. Edlin was married October 25, 1883, to Miss Louise Swenson, and to them have been born the following named children: Charles P., born January 26, 1885; Ludwig L., born April 25, 1887; Adolph, born March 1, 1889; Albert Edgart, born February 12, 1891, died February 12, 1894; Oscar Rudolph, born December 5, 1894.

JOHN J. EGGE, JR., (1872), Christiania township farmer, was born in that precinct and has spent his entire life there. He owns fifty acres of land on the west half of the southwest quarter of section 33, on the bank of Independence lake.

John J. Egge, Jr., was born May 14, 1872, and is the son of John J. and Ingebor Egge, natives of Norway. They came from their native land and located in Decorah, Iowa, where Mr. Egge, Sr., worked at the blacksmith trade. The family came to Jackson county in 1865 and took as a homestead claim the south half of the southwest quarter of section 32, Christiania, and on that place the father of our subject still lives in a log cabin erected in 1868. There were six children in this family, namely: Tollef, a Weimer township farmer, born March 17, 1866: Mary (Mrs. Knute Jackson), of Crookston, Minnesota: born November 16, 1867: John J., Jr.: Theodore, of Delafield township, born August 8, 1879; Ella, deceased, born February 1, 1869; Eli, deceased, born November 1, 1875.

Mr. Egge was married December 21, 1899, to Martha Niemann. To them have been born the following children: Ethel, born January 19, 1901; Elma, born February 8, 1903; Carl, born October 26, 1905. The family are members of the Lutheran church. He has served as a member of the township board three years and is a member of the. M. W. A. lodge.

JOHN P. EGGE (1865), who owns and farms 200 acres of land on sections 22 and 15, Belmont township, has resided on his present farm forty-four years—ever since he was three years of age. His house is on the north half of the northwest quarter of section 22—historic ground because of its connection with the Belmont massacre of 1862. Here on that memorable 24^th day of August, 1862, Mrs. Knute Langeland and her children were murdered by the bloodthirsty Sioux.

John P. Egge was born on the eighth day of November, 1863, near the site of the present city of Yankton, South Dakota, his parents being Peter and Ambger Egge. These parents were born and married in Norway and came to the United States in 1861. They resided one year in Fillmore county, Minnesota, and then pushed out onto the extreme frontier, selecting a homestead in the midst of the Indian country near Yankton. Because of the hostility of the Indians they were forced to abandon their claim in 1865 and located in Jackson county, which was then considered reasonably safe from the ravages of the redskins. Upon their arrival Mr. Egge filed on the north half of the northwest quarter of section 22, Belmont, as a homestead claim, and there he resided, engaged in farming until his death, which occurred in 1888 at the age of 69 years. Mrs. Egge is living at the age of 84 years, making her home with a daughter in Heron Lake. There are the following living children of this family: Sarah Halverson, Rosa Peterson, Anna Egge, John P. Egge, Tollef Egge, Sarah Johnson, Ida Tollefson, Christie Twinsberg.

Our subject came to Jackson county with his parents in 1865, and until his father’s death in 1888, assisted in the management of the home farm. Then he bought the two hundred acres he now owns and has been engaged in farming since. Besides general farming he is quite a feeder of hogs and cattle. He has held a school office ever since he was twenty-one years of age and is now clerk of district No. 123. He has also served as township supervisor. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

Mr. Egge was married on the old Belmont homestead September 12, 1897, to Ida Iverson, who was born in Norway May 15, 1871, and came to the United States in 1895. She is the daughter of Bringel and Sophia Iverson, of Belmont township. To them have been born the following named five children: Bennie, born March 22, 1899; Annie, born April 5, 1900; Helen, born August 17, 1902; Clarence, born July 19, 1904; Edwin, born December 1, 1907.

TOLLEF J. EGGE (1866) has spent the entire forty-four years of his life in Jackson county, having been born in northern Des Moines township on the seventeenth day of March, 1866. His parents are John Johnson Egge and Ingebor (Evenson) Egge. Tollef grew to manhood on his father’s Christiania township farm, attending the district school and assisting with the farm work. At the age of twenty years he went to Wisconsin, spent one year there, and then moved to North Dakota, where he remained only one year. Returning, he worked as a farm hand two years and then married. After his marriage he engaged in farming rented land three years and in 1893 he bought the south half of the northwest quarter of section 24, Weimer township, moved onto the place and began the work of improving it. He now has a fine home and well improved farm. His Weimer township farm consists of 160 acres, and he also owns an eighty acre farm in Christiania upon which he has a tenant.

The parents of our subject were born in Norway and came to America when young. The first husband of Mrs. Egge was Tollef Olson Slaabaken. They came to Jackson county with the vanguard of the Norwegian settlers and were living on the Des Moines river at the time of the massacre of 1862. Tollef Olson Slaabaken died in the army and his widow married John Johnson Egge. As a result of the second marriage six children were born, of whom the following four are living: Tollef, Mary, John and Theodor. Eli and Ella are the deceased children.

Tollef Egge was married in Jackson county September 7, 1890, to Mary Seines, who was born in Iowa June 24, 1866. To this union have been born three children: Ella, born February 10, 1894; Olga, born March 30, 1895; Eli, born August 31, 1896. The family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Mr. Egge has held many offices of trust within the gift of his neighbors. In 1903 he served as a member of the board of county commissioners from the Fourth district. He has been chairman of the board of supervisors of Weimer, has been assessor and is now a school director.

WILLIAM EGGESTIEN (1881), farmer and landowner of Middletown township, was born in Cook county, Illinois, December 4, 1856, the son of Christ and Ricka (Kosdorf) Eggestein. These parents were born in Germany and came to America when young, settling in Illinois. Mrs. Eggestein died there about 1880. Mr. Eggestein came to Jackson county and engaged in farming in Petersburg township, where he died in 1899. William is the eldest of eight children, of whom six are living, as follows: William, Daniel, Benjamin, Sarah, Lydia and Emma.

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

Mr. Eggestein was married at Park Ridge, Cook county, Illinois, October 9, 1879, to Fredericka Eggestein, a native of Germany. To them have been born the following eight children: Ida, born August 19, 1880; Tilda, born October 17, 1882; William, born March 11, 1884; Alvin, born March 10, 1880; Walter, born August 7, 1888; Edwin, born February 14, 1892; Esther, born April 5, 1896 Alma, born April 25, 1898.

ALECK F. ELNESS (1877) was born in Christiania Township June 4, 1877 and has resided there all his life. He owns the east half of the northeast quarter of section 20. He is the son of Elling N. Elness, who now lives in Oregon, and Ellen Elness who died in 1900 at the age of 55 years. His parents came from Norway and located in Jackson county in 1870, homesteading land in Christiania township. Aleck received his education in the district schools of his native township, and after growing up engaged in farming. He owns stock in the Windom Telephone company and in the company that owns the Bergen store. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Belmont.

Mr. Elness was married May 2, 1900, to Gea Engan, and to this marriage have been born four children: Emmet, born February 20, 1901; Ouvin, born April 27, 1903: Allen, born May 25, 1905; Myriel, born May 9, 1907. (The photo above is that of the Elling Elness family)

EDWARD ELNESS (1874) is a Christiania township farmer and thresher who owns the east half of the northwest quarter of section 20 and the south half of the southeast quarter of section 17. He has spent his entire life in the county, having been born on the farm he now conducts October 12, 1874, the son of E. N. and Ellen Elness. His father lives in Oregon; his mother is dead.

Mr. Elness received a common school education and assisted his father in conducting the farm. Later he engaged in farming for himself and in the threshing business, which he has followed for the past fifteen years. He owns stock in the Christiania Creamery company and in the Bergen Store company. He is a member of the Lutheran church and of the Woodmen lodge of Windom.

Mr. Elness was married May 20, 1900 to Minnie Olson. They are the parents of three children; Clifford, born October 20, 1902: Lloyd, born March 6, 1904: Leland, born May 10, 1906.

O. K. ELNESS (1873). Christiania township farmer, has lived in that precinct since he was one year of age. He was born in Goodhue county Minnesota, December 3, 1871, the son of Elling and Ellen Elness. His parents were born in Norway and the father came to America in 1865 or 1866. He took a homestead claim in Christiania township in 1870. There he resided many years; now he lives in the state of Washington. The mother of our subject is dead.

Our subject came to Jackson county with his parents in the spring of 1873 and has ever since lived in Christiania township, engaged in farming, carpenter work and threshing. Mr. Elness owns 200 acres of land on section 17. He has stock in the telephone company of Windom. in the Christiania Creamery company and in the store at Bergen. He is a member of the Lutheran church and of the Modern Woodmen and Sons of Norway lodges. He served two years as constable of Christiania township.

Mr. Elness was married October H, 1891, to Betty Ingebritson. They are the parents of three children, named as follows: Edna, born August 8, 1897: Irene, born April 2, 1900; Orpha, born February 5, 1903.

JOHN E. ELOFFSON (1876) is one of the successful farmers and large landowners of Belmont township. He owns 520 acres of land in one body and farms it all. His holdings include all of section 14, except the north half of the north half, and a forty acre tract on section 23. Mr. Eloffson was born in Norway June 9, 1847, the son of Elof and Annie M. Eloffson, both deceased. He is the next to the oldest of a family of nine children. He grew to manhood in his native country, working on his father’s small farm and engaging in fishing and sailing.

He came to the United States in 1873, lived three years in Nicollet county, Minnesota, and then located in Jackson county, which has ever since been his home. For several years he worked at the carpenter trade in Jackson, and as he accumulated money he invested it in Belmont real estate. He moved onto his farm in 1883.

Besides his mammoth farming operations Mr. Eloffson is interested in several other lines of business. He is a director of the Norwegian store in Christiania township, in the Belmont Creamery company, in the Belmont Telephone company and has stock in the new elevator company. He has held the office of township supervisor, treasurer of school district No. 36, and road overseer. He and his family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

Mr. Eloffson was married in Jackson county in June, 1884, to Mary Flatgard, a native of Norway. She is the daughter of Tory Flatgard and came to Jackson county when a baby. They have eleven children, named as follows: Alvin T., professor of a school in Washington: Julia, Annie, Gear, Clara, Emma, Hilda, Handa, Julius, Olga, Lorain.

PETER P. ELVERUM (1872). lineman for the Jackson Telephone company, is a native of the county, having been born in Christiania township on July 10, 1872, the son of Peder O. and Beret (Hagen) Elverum. he being the eldest of a family of three children. A sister, Mrs. Clarence Sether, resides in Christiania township, and a brother Bernt Elverum lives in West Heron Lake township. His eldest brother Ole died in 1891. Two sisters Beret and Sarah, died when five and three years old, respectively. Our subject’s parents were born in Stordal, Norway, were married there and came to the United States in 1870. They lived one year in Minneapolis and then came to Jackson county and homesteaded land in Christiania.

The father died in 1879 at the age of 45 years. The mother lives with her daughter, Mrs. Clarence Sether and is 76 years old. Peter P. Elverum spent the greater part of his life on the home farm. There he assisted in the farm work and in a nearby school secured his primary education. After quitting the country school he became a student at the Breck school of Wilder, which he attended three terms, after attending that school he engaged in teaching which he followed six years.

In 1894, after his brother’s death, he took the management of the home farm and conducted it several years. In 1902 he opened a blacksmith shop at Bergen and operated that two years. Then, in 1904, he moved to Jackson and took a position as lineman for the Jackson Telephone company. One year later he assisted in the construction of the telephone line between Jackson and Spirit Lake and the one from Blue Earth to Albert Lea. Returning to Jackson after the season’s work, he again took a position with the telephone company and has since been employed as its lineman. Mr. Elverum owns eighty acres of land in Christiania township. For several terms he served as assessor of that precinct. He is a member of the Lutheran church.

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

John was brought up and educated in a farming community and spent the first seventeen years of his life in his native land, working out on a farm during the last two years there. In 1882 he came to America and located in Benton county, Iowa, where he lived eight years, working as a farm hand. In March, 1890, Mr. Engel came to Jackson county and located upon his present farm, which he had bought in 1885. The place was then raw prairie, and the present improvements are all the result of his labors. Mr. Engel raises stock quite extensively and he has prospered since locating in Jackson county. Mr. Engel has often been called upon to serve in an official capacity. He is clerk of his township and has held the office for the last nine years. He is also a director of school district No. 50 and with the exception of two or three years has served as such since 1891. He was township assessor three years and a member of the board of supervisors two years. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. lodge of Lake Park.

Mr. Engel was married at Jackson July 9, 1891, to Matilda Kruse, who was born in Hamburg. Germany, April 7, 1873, and came to the United States in 1887. Her father, C. F. A. Kruse, died in 1899 and her mother Maria Kruse died in 1906. To Mr. and Mrs. Engel have been born the following children: Helmuth H., born June 14, 1892, died November 2, 1908; Alvina, born May 27, 1893; Hannah, born July 12, 1895; Freda, born August 24, 1897; Rudolph, born August 27, 1903; John, born April 14, 1909.

OLE O. ENGEN (1868), farmer and thresherman of Christiania township, is one of the pioneer settlers of that precinct. He was born in Norway September 19, 1852. His mother, Julia Sivertson makes her home with her son.

Ole was brought up on a farm in his native country and in 1866 came to America. He lived in Olmsted county, Minnesota, two years, working as a farm laborer, and then in September, 1868, with his mother and father-in-law, Thomas Johnson, came to Jackson county. The first winter the family lived in Belmont township, but in the spring of 1869 they moved to Christiania township, Mr. Johnson taking as a homestead claim eighty acres of the farm on section 26 now owned by our subject. Ole Engen’s home has been on that farm ever since. The first house on the place was a combination log and sod shanty with a dirt roof, in which the family lived for several years. During the grasshopper days Mr. Engen went to the eastern counties during the harvest seasons to work to earn money to support the family. When he was still a young man he acquired an interest in the farm and in partnership with his father-in-law conducted it. Mr. Johnson died ten or twelve years ago, and since that time Mr. Engen has been the sole owner and manager. His present farm consists of 180 acres on sections 26 and 35. For the past seventeen or eighteen years he has been engaged in digging wells and since 1875 he has been engaged in the threshing business.

Mr. Engen was married in Christiania township to Carrie Peterson Berge, a native of Olmsted County. She died within a year after her marriage. One child was born to this union, Carol Engen, born November 24, 1878. The second marriage of Mr. Engen occurred in Christiania township December 22, 1880, when he wedded Mary Johnson, who was born in Norway and who came to the United States in 1869. To this union have been born the following named children: Gea (Mrs. Alex Elness), of Christiania, born August 23, 1881; Signe (Mrs. Severin Holmen), of Christiania, born March 1, 1887; Thea Olive, who resides at home, born December 6, 1889.

Mr. Engen and family are members of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church. He served eleven years as clerk of his township, was justice of the peace many years, has been a supervisor and chairman of the board for several years and was clerk of his school district for several years.

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

Mr. Erpestad is a Norwegian by birth and was born January 30, 1851, the only child born to Anna K. Erpestad. His mother came to America in 1870 and died in 1907, aged 80 years. The early life of our subject was passed in his native land. There he secured a common school education and engaged in farm work until 186. That year he came to America and located in Fillmore county, Minnesota, where he worked out until 1871. Coming to Jackson county in the year last mentioned, Mr Erpestad bought the home quarter of his present farm in 1880. During the first nine years of his residence here he lived with his mother on section 24, Delafield: then he moved onto his own farm, and has ever since been engaged in its management. He prospered and his since added to his possessions by the purchase of 240 acres in section 7, Christiania. adjoining his home place in Delafield township.

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

On December 1, 1881, in Delafield Township. Mr. Erpestad was married to Josephine Johnson, who was born in Adams county, Wisconsin, in January 1863, and who died in the fall of 1890. To this union four children were born Emma, Joseph, Anna and Sophia. The second marriage of Mr. Erpestad occurred in February 1899 when he wedded Tomine Skrove who was born in Jackson county in 1872. To them have been born four children, named as follows: Gea, Albert, Oscar and Anna.

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

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

At Adrian on October 22, 1901 Mr. Esser was married to Miss Christine Ulrich. To these parents have been born four children: Margaret, born September 9, 1902; Gertrude, born September 5, 1904; John, born April 21, 1906; Louisa, born March 8, 1908. Mrs. Esser died March 29, 1909, aged 28 years and 11 days.

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