Trails to the Past

Minnesota

Jackson County

 

Biographies Index

 

History of Jackson County Minnesota

Arthur P. Rose - 1910

Biographies

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

 

LEROY D. STEWARD (1908). proprietor of a Lakefield barber shop, was born in Donahoe, Iowa October 3, 1883, the eldest of a family of four children born to George and Martha (Mickelwright ) Steward, the other children being Charles, Howard and Fannie.

Both his parents died when Leroy was a child and he was brought up in the family of an uncle, with whom he lived until seventeen years of age. He was educated in the Donahoe public schools and after leaving the home of Ids uncle worked on a farm until he was of age. He then started working at the barber’s trade, learning the business in shops in Donahoe, Iowa, and Denehy, Iowa. After mastering the trade Mr. Steward worked in shops in Kansas City, Missouri, Luverne, Minnesota, and other places. He located in Lakefield in August 1908, buying the George Albert Armstrong shop, in the Jackson County State Bank building. He conducts a two chair shop. Mr.  Steward is a member of the I. O. O. F., the K. P. and M. W. A. lodges.

ANDRE M. ST. JOHN (1897), vice president of the St. John Grain company, and manager of the Lakefield branch, is of the ninth generation of the St. John family since its arrival to America from England in the early days of the country’s history. His parents were Matthew and Roxaline (Pierce) St. John and he was born in Albany county, New York, May 6, 1846.

Andre lived with his parents on the farm in Albany county New York, until 1856, and in that year the family moved to the wilds of Minnesota and were among the first settlers of Mower county, the father preempting land twelve miles south of Austin. Owing to the lack of school privileges in Minnesota territory in these early days the early education of our subject was limited. In a log cabin in Mower county he received his early schooling from his father, and at the age of sixteen years he became a student in the Cedar Valley, Iowa, Seminary, where he studied two years.

After securing his education he returned to his father’s farm and assisted with the work until he reached his majority. He then bought a farm in Mower county and engaged in agriculture pursuits until the year 1879. That year he moved to Mitchell County, Iowa, and was engaged in general merchandise business until 1897. He then sold out and moved to Lakefield, where he entered into partnership with his two brothers, W. P. and B. P. St. John, and engaged in the grain business. He erected the grain elevator at Lakefield at that time and has since made his home in that village.  The St. John Grain company is one of the big institutions of Jackson county and carries on an extensive wholesale and retail business in grain, coal and flour. The company was incorporated with a capital stock of $150,000 in 1907. The home office is in Heron Lake and the company owns and numerous elevators at the following named places: Heron Lake, Wilder, Windom, Bingham Lake, LeSueur, Amboy, Winnebago City, Elmore, Adrian, Brewster, Beaver Creek in Minnesota, and Ledyard, Hospers and Rock Rapids and other points in Iowa. The officers of the company are B. P.  St. John, president and treasurer; A. M. St. John, vice president; M. W. Smith, secretary. The directors are M. W. Smith, A. M. St. John, D. H. McKeller, J. B. Nimerfro, S. S. Striker, S. E. St. John and B. P. St. John. One of the St. John brothers, W. P., died in October, 1905; the other, B. P., resides in Heron Lake. 

Mr. St. John was married at Clinton Falls, Steele county, Minnesota, October 24, 1872, to Ella D. Finch, a native of New York state.  She is a daughter of the late W. W. Finch, who came to Minnesota in 1853. Mr. and Mrs. St. John are the parents of the following named children: Helen A. (Mrs. Leslie Hill), of Watertown, South Dakota; Alice L. (Mrs.  Lester B. Parsons), of Watertown, South Dakota; Wilhelmina (Mrs. Eugene Callan), of Woodstock, Minnesota; Sherman E. St. John, of Republic, Washington. During the years 1900, 1901 and 1907 Mr.  St. John served as president of the Lakefield village council and he has also been a member of the board of education. He is a member of the Methodist church and of the M. W. A.  and Yeomen lodges.

BENONA P. ST. JOHN (1892), of Heron Lake, is president of the St. John Grain company, one of the largest business enterprises of that town and of Jackson county. He was born in Lyle, Mower county Minnesota, December 7, 1866 the son of Matthew and Roxaline (Pierce) St. John.

Both the St. John and Pierce families are Old American stock. (See St. John and Pierce American Genealogies.) The former is of French origin. In 1632 Mathias St. John (Sention) came to the American colonies from England (the family having previously immigrated to that country) and located in Norwalk, Connecticut.  From this ancestor sprang the St.  John family of America. The Pierce family is of English extraction, but dates its advent to America early in the seventeenth century.  Both parents of our subject were born in New York state, but were early Minnesota settlers, locating in Mower county in 1855. There they resided until 1900. The father died at Lakefield, Minnesota, in March, 1907, at the age of 87 years: the mother died in March, 1903, aged 79 years. They were the parents of five children.  On his father’s farm in Mower county B. P. St. John lived until he reached his majority.

Then he went to Cherokee county, Iowa, and for the next four years was employed in a grain elevator. He located in Heron Lake in 1892, and engaged in the grain business, which, largely by his efforts, has developed into the strong business concern it is today. Our subject conducted the business alone one year. Then he was joined by his brother, W. P. St. John, in a partnership, and for the next nine years the business was conducted under the firm name of St. John Brothers.  The business grew, and in 1892 the firm of St. John Grain company was incorporated with the following officers: B. P. St. John, president; A. M. St. John, vice president: W.  P. St. John, secretary and treasurer. W. P.  St. John, who had been a merchant in Heron Lake in the early days and who had returned to that town in 1893 to engage in the grain business with his brother, died October 25, 1905. Since that time the officers have been B.  P. St. John, president and treasurer: A.  M. St. John vice president: M. W. Smith, secretary.

The board of directors are as follows: B. P. St. John, A. M. St. John, M. W. Smith, Sherman E. St. John, D. H. McKellar, J.  B. Nimerfro and S. S. Striker. The St. John Grain company owns twenty grain elevators in Minnesota and Iowa, three of which are in Jackson county. The home office is in Heron Lake. They own membership in the regular grain exchanges at Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Chicago.

Besides his interest in the St. John Grain company. Mr. St. John is associated with the Karamin Lumber company, of Republic, Washington, and is its treasurer. He owns farm lands in Jackson County and village properly.  He has served as president and member of the Heron Lake village council and for several years has been treasurer of the Heron Lake board of education. He is a member of the Masonic and Woodmen lodges.

Mr. St. John was married at Meridian, Iowa.  October 1, 1891 to Miss Emma C. Hovey, a native of Grundy county Iowa. To them have been born four children, as follows: Kathleen, born August 7, 1892; Clair H., born February 2, 1898: Idella, born September 23, 1900; Matthew, born January 11, 1907 died October 25, 1908.

FRANK STOFFERAHN (1907), Sioux Valley township farmer, is a comparative newcomer to Jackson county. He was born in Carroll county, Iowa, March 23, 1875, the son of John and Minnie (Stade) Stofferahn. His parents are native Germans, but came to America in childhood and were married in Clayton county, Iowa. They resided in that county, in Carroll and Ida counties, Iowa, and are now residents of Garrison, North Dakota.  Frank is one of a family of ten children.

Our subject resided in his native county only seven years; then he accompanied his parents to Ida county, Iowa, where he grew to manhood, making his home with his parents until twenty-one years of age and receiving a district school education. After reaching his majority he began working out and at the age of twenty-three married and engaged in farming for himself on rented land. One year after his marriage Mr. Stofferahn moved to Dickinson county, Iowa. He engaged in farming there eight years and in 1907 took up his residence in Jackson county, renting the east half, of section 20 Sioux Valley township. During the season 1909 he raised 3,000 bushels of corn and 1,600 bushels of small grain. 

Mr. Stofferahn was married at Holstein, Ida county, Iowa, February 19, 1898, to Dora Bauer. She was born in Blue Grass, Scott county, Iowa, April 29, 1877, and is the daughter of William and Lena (Stark) Bauer. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Stofferahn as follows: Ferdinand, born June 17, 1900; Henrietta, born November 13, 1902; Louie, born November 7, 1904.

Mr. Stofferahn is a director of school district No. 72 and is a stockholder in the creamery company of Sioux Valley. The family are members of the German Lutheran church and he belongs to the M. W. A. lodge of Lake Park and the Germania Verein, a social organization of Sioux Valley township. This organization was perfected June 28, 1908, with thirty charter members and it now has a membership of 110. Meetings are held on the second Sundays of each month at Reimer’s hall during the winter months and in groves in the vicinity during the summer.

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

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

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

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

EDWIN STREATOR (1896) is a farmer and land owner of Weimer township. He was born in Winnebago county, Illinois, July 20, 1840, the son of Price S. and Jemima (Sweet) Streator. His parents were both natives of Bradford county, Pennsylvania, his father being descended from a well known family who came from France in colonial times. His parents were married in Pennsylvania and located in Illinois in 1835 his father dying in Winnebago county, of that state, in 1848. Mrs.  Streator later located in Fillmore county, Minnesota, where she died in 1880, aged over seventy years. There were seven children in the family, of whom the following named are living: L. L. Streator, of Fillmore county; Mrs.  A. M. Kingsbury, of Mason City, Iowa; Mrs.  H. M. Graham, of Woonsocket, South Dakota, and Edwin S. of this sketch.

Edwin came to Fillmore county, Minnesota, with his mother in 1854, he being then fourteen years of .age, and there he lived until 1872.  That year he came west and took a homestead claim on section 34, Springfield township, Cottonwood county, where he resided until 1896.  He then located on his present farm on section 4, Weimer township, and has since made his home there. He owns 240 acres of land. During his residence in Cottonwood county Mr. Streator held various township offices.

The marriage of our subject occurred in Fillmore county January 9, 1869, when he wedded Celia E. Eddy, a native of Ohio. To these parents have been born two children: Orley E., of Bowman county, North Dakota, born October 15, 1871; Clara E., born November 21, 1873.

HERMAN L. STROM (1887): cashier of the Brown National Bank and ex-postmaster of Jackson was born in Norway May 7, 1865. He is the son of Feodor and Elizabeth (Larson) Strom and is one of a family of five children, the others being Anna (Mrs. O. H. Smith), of Dell Rapids, South Dakota: Henrik, of St.  Paul: Ellen (Mrs. C. C. Bratrud). of Sioux Falls, South Dakota: Rebecka. The parents of our subject emigrated to America in 1870 and located at Decorah. Iowa. Later the family moved to LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and still later to Milwaukee, where the father of our subject had employment in the office of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad company.  Mr. Strom died in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1897. His wife now resides in Des Moines, Iowa.

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

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

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

ALBERT H. STRONG, (1870), deputy clerk of the district court of Jackson county, is one of the very early pioneers of the village of Jackson, having made his home in that village nearly forty years. He is a native of Barre, Orleans county New York, where he was born March 4, 1844, the son of Samuel B. and Susan L. (Casterline) Strong.

Mr. Strong was educated in an academy at Barre and early in life engaged in teaching as a profession, which he followed in his native county nine years. In May, 1870, Mr.  Strong left home and moved to Jackson, Minnesota, where he was employed to teach the village school. In 1870 he gave up teaching and, in partnership with his brother, M. A.  Strong, went into the drug business under the firm name of Strong Bros. In this business he was engaged until 1880. During the next six years after going out of business he was employed as deputy in different county offices, and in 1880 was elected clerk of the district court. He served eight years in that office, having been reelected in 1890. He served as deputy county auditor from 1890 to 1900, and in 1902 was appointed a member of the state board of equalization, serving in that capacity two years. He was appointed deputy clerk of the district court in 1907 and has since served in that capacity.

Mr. Strong owns 320 acres of land in Wisconsin township, one-half mile east of the Jackson depot. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the Masonic lodge.  On January 31, 1876, Mr. Strong was married to Lois M. Robbins. To these parents have been born the following named children; Mary E., born March 6, 1879 died September 16, 1900: Lois Alberta born August 14, 1882; Seward D., born October 20, 1885; Harry W., born June 4, 1888.

HENRY STRUCK (1897) is one of the successful and prosperous farmers of Kimball township. He is a native of Germany and was born December 28, 1870, the son of Christ and Katie Struck. His parents emigrated to America in 1894 and lived in Martin county, Minnesota, until their death. The father died December 24, 1908. aged 79 years; the mother died June 19, 1902 aged 66 years. There were four children in the family. Henry being the third in point of age.

In his native country Henry Struck lived with his parents until twenty-two years of age, working at various occupations and serving two years in the German army during the early nineties. He came to the United States in 1892 and for five years lived in Martin county, during part of which time he farmed rented land. He rented a farm in Enterprise township, Jackson county, in 1897, and farmed it four years. He then moved onto his present place, the southwest quarter of section 25, Kimball, which he bought at the time and where he has ever since lived. There was not a building, fence or tree on the place when Mr. Struck bought the farm, and the present fine improvements are all the result of his work. He now lives in a fine home, erected at a cost of $3,000. and the barns and other buildings are in keeping with the house. 

Mr. Struck was married in Cedar township, Martin county, Minnesota, September 10, 1895, to Ursula Rosenberger, who was born in Switzerland February 11, 1870. She is the daughter of Hans and Magdalena Rosenberger, who came to the United States in 1891.  Mr. and Mrs. Struck have no children. During the winter of 1908-09 they made a trip to France, Germany, Switzerland and England.  They are members of the German Lutheran church of Kimball township.

CHRIST STUDE (1895), farmer of Alba township, was born in Livingston county, Illinois, August 19, 1866, the son of Christ and Margaret (Kroa) Stude, of whom the former is dead, the latter living in the state of Washington.  Mr. Stude resided in his native county until the year 1895. That year he came to Jackson county and bought the northwest quarter of section 33, Alba township. He has ever since been engaged in farming the place, making his home with his brother, Henry Stude. He is unmarried and one of a family of five children, the others being Henry, Charlie, Annie (Mrs. Herman Leeck) and Lewis.  He is a stockholder in the Brewster creamery and also in the Farmers grain elevator at Brewster.

HENRY STUDE (1885) is a farmer and land owner of Alba township, where he has resided fur the last fifteen years. He was born in Reading Township, Livingston county, Illinois, August 15, 1874, and resided in that county until 1895. Growing to manhood on his father’s farm and receiving; a common school education.  He came to Jackson county upon reaching his majority and bought his present farm, the southeast quarter of section 32, Alba, upon which he has ever since lived. He has made practically all the improvements on the place, has all the land under cultivation, well fenced and partly tilled.

The parents of our subject were Christ and Margaret (Kroa) Stude, both parents were born in Germany and came to America when young, having been married and having resided in Livingston county, Illinois. The father of our subject died there twenty-five years ago.  His mother remarried and now lives in the state of Washington, Henry Stude is the eldest of a family of five children.

Mr. Stude was married in Jackson county. October 10, 1898, to Millie Baumgard. She was born in Illinois on March 10, 1880, and is a daughter of Rudolph and Gustie (Leeck) Baumgard natives of Germany. Her mother is dead: her father lives at Hatfield, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Stude are the parents of three children, as follows: Paul, born February 17, 1901; Walter, born October 10, 1904: Clara, born March 26, 1907.

Mr. Stude is a member of the Alba township board of supervisors. He is a stockholder and a director of the creamery at Brewster and a stockholder in the Brewster Farmers elevator: also a stockholder in the Brewster Horse company.

LEWIS STUDE (1895) owns and farms the southwest quarter of section 33, Alba township.  He was born in Livingston county, IIlinois, May 25, 1882, the son of Christ and Margaret (Kroa) Stude. These parents were born in Germany, came to America when young, and were married in Illinois. The father died when our subject was a child. His mother remarried and now lives in the state of Washington. 

Lewis received an education in the district school of Illinois and in Alba township, Jackson county, to which place he moved with his mother and stepfather in 1895. He lived at home until seventeen years of age; then he began working for his brothers on the farm in Alba township. In 1905 the property was divided and Lewis fell heir to the southwest quarter of section 33. He improved the farm and at once began its cultivation.  Mr. Stude was married December 20, 1905, to Emma Gerdes. She was born in Livingston county, Illinois. May 25, 1882, and is the daughter of John and Hika (Lanus) Gerdes.

REINHOLD STUERMER (1890) is a Belmont township farmer, owning the southwest quarter of section 33 of that township and the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 4. Des Moines township. He is a son of the late Fred and Johanna (Hartwig) Stuermer, natives of Germany. After their marriage in the old country the parents of our subject came to America and located at Manistee,  Michigan. They resided there until 1890, when they came to Jackson county and engaged in farming in Belmont township. Fred Stuermer died in 1901 at the age of 63 years; his wife died in April. 1909 aged 73 years.  Four children survive them. They are Augusta (Mrs. Pari Pohlman), Tillie (Mrs. Julius Bentz) Lena (Mrs. Fred Bretzman) and Reinhold.

To these parents in Manistee. Michigan, June 12, 1876 Reinhold Stuermer was born.  He began his education there and at the age of fourteen years, in 1890 accompanied his parents to .Jackson county. He has ever since made his home on the Belmont farm. He worked for his father until the latter’s death and then fell heir to the farm, which he has since conducted.

Mr. Stuermer was married in Jackson county July 24, 1904, to Clara Krumweide, who was born in Iroquois county, Illinois, March 18, 1881, and who is the daughter of Henry Krumweide, now living in Iroquois county, Illinois, Two children have been born to this union, namely: Lydia, born July 7, 1907; Esther, born August 27, 1908.

LORENZ STUMPF (1887), Ewington township farmer, was born in Germany September 12, 1866, the only child born to Kammillins and Johanna Stumpf, both deceased. His mother dying when he was an infant, Lorenz was brought up in the family of a relative.  He secured nine years’ schooling and when young learned the shoemaker’s trade, working at it six years in the old country. 

On the twenty-fourth day of July, 1880, Mr.  Stumpf landed in the new world. He located in Lake county, Illinois, worked out there one year, and during the month of October, 1887, arrived in Jackson county, which has ever since been his home. Until he was twenty-seven years of age he worked out on farms in Ewington township. Then he married and has since been engaged in farming for himself on rented farms, two years of the time in Rost township, the balance in Ewington. His present location is the northeast quarter of section 15.

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

ALEX SULLIVAN (1872) is one of the large landowners and successful farmers of LaCrosse township as well as one of the pioneer settlers.  He is an extensive feeder of cattle and hogs and a big grain raiser. He farms 480 acres of land. He owns 320 acres individually and in partnership with his brother Jerry owns 640 acres on sections 17 and 21. 

Mr. Sullivan is a native of Sibley county, Minnesota, where he was born December 24, 1861, the son of Owen and Mary (O’Neil) Sullivan.  He spent his childhood days in Sibley county and came to Jackson county with his parents in 1872. With the exception of one and one-half years spent in St. Paul during the years 1878-79, he has ever since been a resident of the county. His parents homesteaded in LaCrosse township and on his father’s farm he grew to manhood. His father died when he was sixteen years of age and thereafter he continued to make his home with his mother. When he was about twenty-one years of age the home place—the southeast quarter of section 4—was turned over to him and he has ever since been engaged in farming it. He has prospered and from time to time has added to his possessions by purchase.  Our subject and his family are members of the Catholic church of Heron Lake and he is a member of the Yeomen and Catholic Order of Foresters lodges. He has held the office of clerk of his school district.

Mr. Sullivan was married in Heron Lake May 27, 1896, to Agnes Bohnpool, a native of Germany. To them have been born three children: Gene, Paul and Bernice.

JERRY SULLIVAN (1871) is one of the largest land owners of LaCrosse township as well as one of the township’s first settlers.  The land holdings of Mr. Sullivan and his brother Alex consist of 1,320 acres, of which Mr. Sullivan alone owns 720 acres. His home farm is on the east half of section 15. He is an extensive feeder of hogs and cattle and a large grain raiser.

Our subject is a native Minnesotan, having been born in Sibley county December 24, 1861.  At the age of ten years, in 1871, he accompanied his parents to Jackson county and lived in LaCrosse township. He made his home with his parents until thirty-three years of age, engaging in farming after growing up. After his marriage in 1890, Mr. Sullivan located on his present place, where he has ever since resided. He is a successful farmer and has prospered, as his land holdings would indicate.  The parents of our subject were Owen and Mary (O’Neil) Sullivan, both natives of County Gary, Ireland. They came to America when children and were brought up in Ontario, Canada, where they were married. Later they lived in Chicago, in Galena, Illinois, in Platteville, Wisconsin, and in 1854 located in Sibley county, Minnesota, being the first settlers in that section of the territory. There they homesteaded and resided until 1871. In the last named year they located in Jackson county, taking a preemption claim on section 4, LaCrosse township. There they resided until driven out by the grasshoppers in 1878. They moved to St. Paul, and three days after their arrival there, on September 27, 1878, Mr. Sullivan died at the age of 62 years. His widow, who is now 87 years of age, makes her home with our subject. There were eleven children in the family, as follows: Eugene, Mary (deceased), Margaret (deceased), Kitty, Nora (deceased), Eliza, Alex and Jerry (twins), Alice Mary and Nellie (deceased).

Mr. Sullivan was married in Heron Lake January 4, 1896, to Emma Beaton. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts, May 4, 1876, and is the daughter of Roderick and Mary (McCarvel) Beaton. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan, as follows: Mary, Geraldine, Dorothy, Roderick, Genevieve, Eleanor and Sylvester J.

Mr. Sullivan and his family are members of the Catholic church of Heron Lake and Mr.  Sullivan served six years as a director of the church society. He is a member of the Yeomen lodge. Mr. Sullivan is president of the Farmers State Bank of Heron Lake and of the Farmers Elevator company of the same village. For the past seven years he has served as director and treasurer of his school district and he has held the office of supervisor of his township.

ANDREW H. SWENSON (1882) is a Delafield township farmer, his farm being located on section 10, three miles east of Wilder. He was born at Windom, Minnesota, October 10, 1880, the son of John and Matilda (Beburg) Swenson, who now reside at Windom.  When Andrew was two years of age the family moved onto the farm in Delafield township, which John Swenson had taken as a homestead in 1871. On that farm Andrew grew to manhood. He attended the district schools and later took a course in the Minnesota normal school at Austin. With the exception of the winter of 1901, when he was employed as an overseer in the pineries of northern Minnesota, Andrew worked for his father on the farm until 1906. Then his parents having moved to Windom, he bought eighty acres of his father’s farm, rented the rest of the farm, and has since been engaged in its management.

For several years Andrew and his brothers kept a pack of stag hounds and gained a great local reputation as wolf hunters. Wolves were quite plentiful and large numbers of them were captured by the Swenson brothers.  Sheep owners in the vicinity paid them a special bounty for their destruction in addition to the bounty paid by the state.

Andrew Swenson was married in Delafield township August 7, 1907, to Anna Homerberg, who was born in Lyon county, Minnesota, February 9, 1881. She is the daughter of Nels Homerberg, deceased. One child. Oryle A., has been born to this union. He was born June 7, 1908. Mr. Swenson is a member of the A. O. U. W. lodge.

CARL J. SWENSON (1884), of Jackson, was born in Rockford, Illinois. August 30, 1883, the son of Olof O. Swenson and Ida (Swenson) Swenson. His parents were natives of Sweden.  His father died in 1897 his mother lives in Petersburg township.

Carl came to Jackson county with his parents when seven months old. His father bought a homestead right to the northeast quarter of section 2, Petersburg township, and upon that farm Carl grew to manhood. He attended the district school and assisted with the farm work until he was twenty years of age. He then located in Alpha and for several years was R. F. D. carrier on route No. 1 out of Alpha. During two years of this time Mr.  Swenson spent his mornings and afternoons working in the Bank of Alpha. During the year 1908 he also conducted a livery barn at Alpha, but disposed of that and located in Jackson, where he has since resided.  Mr. Swenson was treasurer of the Alpha Fire department three years, was treasurer of the Alpha cornet band four years and was constable of Alpha village one year. He is a member of the Presbyterian church of Alpha’ and of the M. B. A. lodge of which he has held the position of secretary.

JOHN O. SWENSON (1875), in partnership with his brother, Olof, farms 320 acres of land in Delafield township, a mile and a half south of the village of Wilder, the land being the property of their father, Andrew Swenson. 

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

John O. Swenson grew to manhood on his father’s farm and has spent his entire life there. He was educated in the district schools and in the Breck school of Wilder. In 1901 he and his brother Olof rented their father’s land and have since been engaged in the management of the place. The boys are successful farmers. During the season of 1909 they harvested about 5,000 bushels of small grain and had seventy-five acres planted to corn.  For four years John 0. Swenson was secretary and treasurer of the Wilder Cooperative Creamery company. He has held the office of clerk of the township board for the past three years and for the last eight or nine years he has served as clerk of school district No. 115.  He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

OLOF O. SWENSON (1884), deceased, was one of the prominent citizens and successful farmers of Petersburg township. His home was the northeast quarter of section 2, and upon that place his widow still resides. Mr.  Swenson was born in Malmo, Sweden, August 27, 1856 he worked during his early years on a farm and in a brick factory, and in 1880 emigrated to the United States. During the first two years of his residence in the new world Mr. Swenson worked in a brick yard near Rockford, Illinois, and for two years more worked in a machine shop in that city.  In 1883 Mr. Swenson had purchased his quarter section farm in Petersburg township, Jackson county, and on March 4, 1884, came to the county to make his future home. There he lived, engaged in farming and contracting until his death, which occurred August 22, 1895, as a result of blood poisoning. He was one of the organizers of school district No. 78 and for ten years held the office of treasurer of the district. He was a member of the Swedish Lutheran church.

Mr. Swenson was married in Rockford, Illinois, October 17, 1881, to Ingar Nelson, Mrs.  Swenson was born in Malmo, Sweden, December 3, 1850, the daughter of Sven and Ellen Nelson. She came to the United States and settled at Rockford, Illinois, on May 15, 1881.  To Mr. and Mrs. Swenson were born the following named children: Anna C, born August 17, 1882 died October 2, 1882; Carl  J., born August 30, 1883; Aaron H., born August 27, 1885; Olof R., born October 7, 1887; Ida M., born December 5, 1889; Enock E., born December 5, 1891.

 

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