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HERMAN N. TANK (1887) is a
Hunter township farmer who has spent the greater
part of his life in Jackson county. He was born in
Carroll county, Iowa, February 28, 1877, and is
the son of Herman and Anna (Hagge) Tank, now
residents of Iowa. His parents came from Holstein,
Germany, in their youth and were married in
Clinton county, Iowa. Two years after their
marriage they located in Carroll county and lived
there until they came to Jackson county in 1887.
They resided on the farm in Hunter township until
November, 1908, and then returned to their old
home. Their children are as follows: Herman,
Bertha (Mrs. Heme Rouse), George, Otto and
William.
Herman Tank of this sketch
came to Jackson county with his parents when ten
years of age and located on the farm where he now
lives. He attended the district school and worked
on the farm during his younger years, engaging in
farming for himself after reaching manhood. In
1904 he bought eighty acres of land on section 15,
the home farm—the southwest quarter of section
14—being still owned by Herman Tank, senior. Mr.
Tank was clerk of school district No. 112 one
term, serving by appointment.
AUGUSTUS TALLMAN
(1884), in partnership with his brother Donald
Tallman, farms 440 acres of land on section 10,
Heron Lake township—land owned by their father,
who resides in Cedar Rapids,
Iowa.
Augustus is the eldest
of a family of three children born to N. H. and
Rhoda N. (Pollock) Tallman. He was born in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, July 16, 1880, and came to Jackson
county with his parents in 1884. His father bought
the north half of the north half of section 10,
Heron Lake township, and upon that farm our
subject was brought up. With the exception of
three years spent as an engineer in a flouring
mill at Jasper, Minnesota, Augustus has made his
home on that farm ever since coming to the county.
He worked for his father until 1905, when they
moved back to their old home in Cedar Rapids.
Since then Augustus and Donald Tallman have farmed
the home place. In the
spring of 1909 the elder Tallman bought the other
property on section 10 and the boys farm that
also. N. H. and Rhoda Tallman are natives of Ohio
and Indiana, respectively. They
located in Cedar Rapids in an early day.
Our subject was married
in Jackson County February 17, 1904, to Ida
Marquardt, who was born in Illinois February 17,
1880. She is the daughter of the late Lewis
Marquardt and Minnie (Hasse) Marquardt, who lives
in Lakefield. Three daughters have been born to
Mr. and Mrs. Tallman: Gertrude, born July 31,
1905: Edna, born March 8, 1907: Doris, born
November 9, 1908. Mr. Tallman is a member of the
M. W. A.
lodge.
Donald Tallman. a brother and
partner of Augustus Tallman was born in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, January 27, 1882. He has lived in
Jackson county since his second birthday, securing
an education in the district schools, his brother
rented the home place and they began farming on
their own account.
CARL TEIG (1903) is a Hunter
township farmer who resides two miles south of the
village of Lakefield. He is a native of Story
county, Iowa, and was born June 20, 1870, the son
of Ole and Sarena Teig. These parents were born in
Norway and came to the United States thirty-five
years ago. From that time until 1903 they lived in
Story and Hardin counties, Iowa: then they came to
Jackson county and have since lived in Belmont
township. Their children are Carl, John, Ole,
Arthur, Martha, Malinda, deceased; Gena, Malinda
and Mabel.
Carl made his home with
his parents in Story and Hardin counties until he
was twenty years of age, being educated in the
schools of Hardin county. At the age of twenty he
married and engaged in the carpenter business,
having served an apprenticeship at the trade
before that time. He worked at his trade in Story,
Hardin and Hamilton counties until 1903, when he
came to Jackson county. He engaged in farming the
northeast quarter of section 8, Hunter township,
and that place has since been his
home.
Mr. Teig was married in
Hamilton county Iowa October 8, 1896, to Julia
Berve a native of Ogle county Illinois, and a
daughter of Nels and Anna Berve. Mr. and Mrs. Teig
are the parents of the following named children:
Amos, born July 18, 1897: Silas, born January 6,
1899; Otis, born October 24, 1900; Nora, born
November 15, 1902: Clara, born December 5, 1904;
Nels, born June 25, 1906: Clarence, born September
1, 1908. The family are members of the Norwegian
Lutheran church of
Lakefield.
EDWARD TEIG (1906), of
Christiania township, was born in Story county,
Iowa, August 18, 1887, and is the son of Ole K.
and Nellie (Raymond) Teig. In his native county he
received a common school education, having been
brought up on his father’s farm. He accompanied
his parents to Jackson county in 1906 and has
since made his home on the farm on section 15.
Christiania
township.
Mr. Teig was married May 17,
1909, to Victoria Thompson. He and his wife are
members of the Norwegian Lutheran church of
Christiania
township.
O. M. TEIG (1906),
farmer of Christiania township, was born in Story
county, Iowa, October 1, 1886, the son of Ole K.
and Nellie (Raymond) Teig. The former emigrated
from Norway in 1881, after having spent his
younger days as a sailor, and located in Story
county, Iowa, where he lived until he came to
Jackson county in
1906.
O. M. Teig secured a common
school education and grew to manhood in his native
county.
He accompanied his parents to Jackson
county in the spring of 1906 and resided with them
on section 15, Christiania, until 1908. In the
last named year, he engaged in farming on his own
account, having rented the northwest quarter of
section 22, on the bank of Lower’s lake. Mr. Teig
is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran
church.
ANTON TEIGEN (1879), farmer
of Des Moines township, has resided upon the farm
he now owns since he was two years of age. He is the son
of Ole L. and Breta (Brakke) Teigen. The former
died in Jackson March 25, 1906, aged seventy-two
years; the latter lives in Jackson and is
seventy-five years of age.
Anton was born to these
parents in Blue Earth county, Minnesota, February
12, 1877, and was a baby two years old when he
accompanied his parents to Jackson county in a
prairie schooner. The balance of his life he has
spent on the farm which his father bought the year
before coming to the county. He was educated in
the district schools and in the Jackson public
schools, which he attended two terms. Until he was
eighteen years of age he worked for his father;
then he rented the farm and engaged in business
for himself. Several years
ago, his father moved to Jackson, and the year
before that event Anton bought the farm. Since
then he has added to the dimensions of his farm by
the purchase of ninety acres in the vicinity.
Mr. Teigen was married in
Heron Lake township January 16, 1907, to Lena
Johnson, a native of the village of Heron Lake and
a daughter of Peter and Matilda Johnson, of Heron
Lake township. Two children, twins, have been born
to this union, namely: Valdemar and Harold, born
November 17, 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Teigen are members
of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
LARS O. TEIGEN (1870),
ex-member of the Minnesota house of
representatives from Jackson county and a
prominent farmer and business man, resides on the
Des Moines river a short distance above Jackson.
He is an early day resident of the county, having
resided here over thirty years, and one of its
best known citizens.
Mr. Teigen is a native of
Norway and was born November 27, 1864. His
parents, Ole and Bertha (Brakke) Teigen, came to
the United States from Norway in 1868, lived in
Blue Earth county, Minnesota, eleven years, and
came to Jackson county in 1879, settling upon the
farm now owned by their youngest son—one of the
old farms of the county. The United States patent
to this farm is signed by President Andrew Johnson
and was given under the provisions of the
soldiers’ bounty act to Charlotte E. Bump, a minor
child of Liberty Wood, a private in the Vermont
militia during the war of 1812. The patent was
assigned to John Olson, and in 1868 the land came
into possession of a Mr. Rassmussen, from whom Mr.
Teigen secured title. Ole Teigen lived on this
farm on section 11, Des Moines township, until the
spring of 1903; then he moved to Jackson and died
in that village March 25, 1906, aged seventy-two
years and one day. His wife lives in Jackson at
the age of seventy-five years. Lars is one of a
family of nine children, of whom six are living.
They are Lars, Julia, Bessie, Martin, Anton and
Emma.
Lars accompanied his parents
to America when four years of age, lived with the
family in Blue Earth county, Minnesota, until May
19, 1879, which was the date of their arrival to
Jackson county. Until he reached his majority Mr.
Teigen resided on the home farm in Des Moines
township, assisting with the farm work and
attending school. At the age of twenty he engaged
in teaching school in the country districts and
made that his exclusive occupation until he was
twenty-six, making his home on the farm. He
married in 1891 and located upon a farm on section
32, Enterprise township, which he bought at that
time, and upon which he lived until the death of
his wife on July 24, 1898. During this period of
residence Mr. Teigen taught school four years
besides carrying on his farming operations. After
the death of his wife he broke up housekeeping and
lived one year with his parents. Then he built his
present home on the northwest quarter of section
11, Des Moines township, which he has since
occupied.
Mr. Teigen’s real estate
holdings include his tract of fifty acres on
section 11, forty acres on section 1, Des Moines,
and two hundred acres on section 32,
Enterprise. Besides his
farming Mr. Teigen is interested in several other
business enterprises. He was one of the chief
promoters of the Farmers Cooperative association
of Jackson, an organization effected for the
purpose of dealing in grain, livestock, etc. He
drafted the articles of incorporation and the
by-laws and was made secretary of the company. He
has been the secretary and manager of the Belmont
Creamery company for a number of years, and has
always taken a prominent part in promoting the
creamery interests of the county.
In a political way Mr. Teigen
has often been called upon to serve his people. In
1904 he was elected a member of the Minnesota
legislature from Jackson county on the republican
ticket and served one term. He introduced the
original resolution providing for the
establishment of a harvester factory at the state
prison and his resolution was adopted. He served as
chairman of the joint committee which considered
the proposition and upon whose report favorable
action was taken by the legislature. Mr. Teigen,
while a member of the house, gained the reputation
of voting more “noes” than any other member of the
body that session. In his township Mr. Teigen has
often been called upon to serve in an official
capacity.
Mr. Teigen has been married
twice. His first marriage occurred in Jackson
county May 24, 1891, when he wedded Tilda Olson, a
daughter of the late Simon Olson. She died July
29, 1898. As a result of this marriage four
children were born, as follows: Hertha, born April
14, 1892, died September 8, 1895; Oscar S., born
November 17, 1893, Bertha M., born August 4, 1895:
Albert E., born March 16, 1898. The second
marriage of Mr. Teigen occurred in Jackson county
June 2, 1903, when he wedded Emma Roe. daughter of
Anders and Elsie Roe, who came to the county in
1868. Two children have been born to this union:
Elsie T., born March 12, 1904: Andrew L. born
August 5, 1906.
HENRY TERHAAR (1899), sheriff
of Jackson county, was born in Sheboygan county,
Wisconsin, March 23, 1868, the son of Herman J.
and Jane (Ruseling) Terhaar. He received his
education in Sheboygan county and resided there
until twenty years of age.
He left home in 1888 and
located at St. Croix,
Wisconsin, where for the next five years he was
employed in a creamery, making butter and cheese.
In 1893 Mr. Terhaar made a trip to the west,
visiting Montana, Idaho, Washington, Colorado and
Utah. He returned and located temporarily at
Alton, Iowa, and later at Luverne. In 1894 he
moved to Edgerton, Minnesota, where for five years
he was employed in a creamery. In January, 1899,
he located in Heron Lake and for the next eight
years sold groceries for John Saxton Co., of
Chicago.
Mr. Terhaar was elected
sheriff of Jackson county on the democratic ticket
in 1906 and was reelected in 1908. His present
term expires January 1, 1911. He owns 320 acres of
real estate in Hubbard county, Minnesota. He is a
member of the Masonic and Knights of Pythias
lodges.
Sheriff Terhaar has been
married twice. His first marriage occurred at
Baldwin, Wisconsin, February 15, 1890, when he
wedded Jennie Demaster. He was married September
15, 1898, to Miss Rose Mulroy, of Adrian. To this
union have been born two children: Bertha M., born
September 20, 1899: Katherine born November 29,
1902.
HENRY THIELVOLDT (1883),
county commissioner of Jackson county,
representing the first district, and the prominent
farmer of Middletown township, has been a resident
of the county twenty-six years. He owns the
southeast quarter of section 11, four miles south
of Jackson.
Mr. Thielvoldt is of German
birth, having been born in the fatherland on the
first day of December, 1849. His father, Hans
Thielvoldt, was a bookbinder and printer by trade
and after coming to America in 1855, worked at his
trade in Davenport, Iowa, until his death four
years later. Our subject’s mother was Katrina
(Muhs) Thielvoldt. She died in 1891. Henry is the
only living child of eight children.
At the age of five years, in
1855, Henry Thielvoldt came to the new world with
his parents and located at Davenport, Iowa. His
father dying when he was nine years old, Henry was
obliged to begin his struggle to help support the
family at that tender age. In 1867 he
moved with his mother to Walcott, Iowa, and later
to Durant, Iowa. He made his home with his mother
until he was twenty-two years of age, and then
married and established a home of his own. He
farmed rented land in Muscatine county, Iowa, two
years and then moved to Scott county of the same
state, where he engaged in farming nine years. Mr.
Thielvoldt arrived in Jackson county in 1883,
bought a farm on section 25, Sioux Valley
township, which was his home for many years. He
sold out there in 1904 and bought his present farm
in Middletown, where he has since lived.
Henry Thielvoldt has served
as county commissioner for the last seventeen
years, and during that time has taken an active
part in the history making of the county.
Politically he is a democrat. He has frequently
held township and school offices. He is a member
of the M. B. A. lodge and was a charter member of
the lodge at Jackson.
The first marriage of Mr.
Thielvoldt occurred at Davenport, Iowa December
10, 1871. when he wedded
Abel Puck, who was born in Germany and came to
America when a child. She died
December 24, 1892. Seven children were born as a
result of this marriage, as follows: John, born
April 5, 1873; Willie, born February 2, 1875;
Amanda, born February 14, 1879; Emma, born August
12, 1882; Amelia, born January 3, 1887; Laura,
born December 24, 1888; Hulda, born February 4,
1891, Mr. Thielvoldt was married the second time
in 1895 to Mrs. Dora Wiese, also a native of
Germany. To them have
been born three children, as follows: Harry, born
February 13, 1896; Clara, born June 10, 1898;
Leonard, born May 2, 1900. Hy her first marriage
Mrs. Thielvoldt is the mother of two children:
Howard, born February 12, 1891, and Emil, born
February 20, 1893.
JAMES B. THOMAS (1850),
deceased. In the account of the early settlement
of Jackson county and of the Springfield massacre,
in an earlier part of this work, is frequent
mention of James B. Thomas, at whose cabin
occurred the fight with the Indians during the
famous massacre. It is the purpose of this sketch
to give few items concerning his earlier and later
life.
James B. Thomas was born in
Licking county, Ohio, in the year 1813. In that
county he was brought up and resided until he was
twenty-six years of age. Then he located in Cass
county, Illinois, where he engaged in the milling
business and where he was married. Three years
after making his home in Illinois he moved to Iowa
and settled near Fairfield, in Jefferson county. A
few years later he and his family pushed out
farther onto the frontier, locating near Webster
City. There he bought and improved an eighty acre
farm and prospered financially, working at the
millwright’s trade while improving the farm. In the year
1856 Mr. Thomas sold his farm in Iowa and came to
that part of Brown county. Minnesota,
which is now Jackson county and settled with his
family near the “town” of Springfield. There he
staked a claim located on the east side of the
river at Jackson, built one of the best cabins in
the settlement, and started in to make a new home
for himself. At the massacre on March 26, 1857,
his youngest child, Willie, was killed outright,
Mr. Thomas received a severe wound in the arm
which necessitated to amputation and from the
effect of which he died in 1866, and in escaping
from the scene of the fight his little daughter
Mary contracted a cold which resulted in her death
six weeks later.
Mr. Thomas and his family did
not return to Jackson county, but located near
Marshalltown, Iowa, where he secured a 160 acre
farm and where he died in 1866.
Mr. Thomas was married in
Cass county, Illinois, to Irma A. Clark, who was
born November 22, 1824. They were the parents of
several children. One son, Frank M. Thomas, who
has before been mentioned in connection with the
massacre, later, at the age of nineteen years,
enlisted in the Second Iowa cavalry and served two
years in the war. He was wounded in the left ankle
and the limb was amputated in Andersonville
prison. Blood poison set in, resulting in his
death in 1873. The Grand Army
Post at Marshalltown, Iowa, was named in his
honor.
JOSEPH THOMAS (1858),
deceased. For a number of years, in the very early
history of Jackson county, there was one man known
far and wide, who could have justly claimed title
to being the “most prominent” man in Jackson
county. This was Joseph Thomas. who came to the
county in 1858 and settled on what has ever since
been known as Thomas hill, on the east side of the
Des Moines river in the village of Jackson. For
years he was the only businessman in Jackson
county, during the time when there was not a
railroad or a town in the county. He kept a hotel
and post office on the hill, and to his place came
all who were passing through the country. The
hospitality of Joseph Thomas and his estimable
wife were known far and wide. He played a
prominent part in the county’s early history.
Mr. Thomas was born in New
Jersey in 1810, and after several westward moves
came to Jackson county in the spring of 1858. He
and his son and one or two others drove up from
Newton, Iowa, carrying their own bridges with
which to cross the streams. He selected a site for
his home, upon which was a deserted log cabin. The
small children were brought up to the new home in
1859, and a permanent home was established. Mr.
Thomas conducted a hotel for the accommodation of
the few travelers, and a little later secured the
establishment of a post office, of which he was
the postmaster.
He and his family were obliged
to desert their home in 1862 on account of the
Indian massacre and subsequent hostility of the
savages, and for a time he lived in Spirit
Lake. Mr. Thomas
continued to reside at the old home until his
death, which occurred February 28, 1891.
In 1831 occurred the marriage
of Mr. Thomas to Jane Van In Wegin, to whom were
born nine children.
JOSEPH E. THOMAS (1858), now
a resident of Windom, was one of the very earliest
residents of Jackson county, and there are few men
living who gazed upon the country of Jackson
county before he did. It was in the spring of 1858
that our subject, then a boy nine years of age,
accompanied his parents to the all but deserted
Jackson county country and settled on the Des
Moines river within the present incorporate limits
of the village of Jackson. He grew up with
the country and took part in many of the thrilling
events of pioneer days. Joseph E.
Thomas was born in New York state March 11, 1849,
the son of those well known pioneers of the county
Joseph and Jane (Van In Wegin) Thomas. When he was
three years of age the family moved to Freeport,
Illinois, and in 1855 they came farther west and
located at Newton, Iowa. In 1858 they pushed out
farther onto the frontier and settled on what is
now known as Thomas hill, across the river from
the business section of Jackson. For a number of
years the family lived in a cabin, which had been
deserted by an earlier settler.
Our subject grew up in the
surroundings of typical frontier life. Four years
after the family had established their home came
the Sioux war and the Thomas family were obliged
to temporarily desert their home, living one year
in Spirit Lake. Joseph received a meager education
in the frontier school and at the age of fifteen
years began driving stage. For two years he drove
the Jackson-Blue Earth City stage, and for six
years drove the stage between Jackson and Madelia.
During these years he gained a reputation as a
stage driver excelled by no one. On only one
occasion did he miss a trip, and then it was not
his fault, but owing to the inability to cross Elm
creek in the early spring.
After growing up Mr. Thomas
engaged in farming. In 1890 he moved to the
vicinity of Windom, where he engaged in farming
until 1906 when he retired from active life, since
which time he has lived in Windom. For ten years
Mr. Thomas served as constable of Jackson and for
two years he was a school director, he is a member
of the Episcopal Church.
Mr. Thomas was married
September 22, 1878, to Ella M. Miner, a native of
New York state and a daughter of Aiken Miner, a
pioneer resident of Jackson and later of
Worthington. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have been born
the following named children: Lulu, deceased;
Edgar, Nellie, deceased; Mae, Alice, deceased;
Eva, deceased;
Francis.
JOHN B.
THOMSON (1893) is a farmer and breeder of
thoroughbred Duroc-Jersey hogs and owns the
southeast quarter of section 21, Middletown
township. He was born in Leaf River, township Ogle
county, Illinois, August 31, 1868, the son of
David and Mary (Ballaugh) Thomson.
David Thomson was born in
Johnstown, Scotland, and came to the United States
in 1849. In the city of
New York he worked at the baker’s trade until
1852. The next ten years of his life were spent in
California; then he returned to New York, lived
there a short time, and then located in Ogle
County Illinois, where he bought a farm and where
he has ever since resided. He is now 81 years old.
His wife was born in Brooklyn, was married to Mr.
Thomson in the spring of 1862, and is now living
at the age of 70 years. John B. Thomson is one
of twelve children born to these parents, of whom
the following named eleven are living: Will, Jean,
Euphemia, John B., Stewart, a doctor of Byron,
Illinois; Alexander, a doctor of St. Louis;
Mattie, Nisbet, Edward, Robert and George.
The subject of this biography
lived with his parents and grew to manhood in his
native county. His education was secured in the
country schools and in a business college of
Rockford, Illinois. At the age of twenty he took a
position as shipping clerk in the S. B. Wilkins
knitting factory at Rockford but later he returned
to his father’s home and lived there until 1893.
That year Mr. Thomson moved to Jackson county and
located upon the farm which he had bought the year
before and where he has ever since resided. He
established his herd of thoroughbred hogs eight
years ago.
Mr. Thomson was married in
Jackson October 19, 1898, to Mary Muir daughter of
Robert and Mary Muir, pioneers of the county, who
now live at LaMoure, North Dakota. Mrs. Thomson was
born in the log house on the old Middletown
homestead July 24, 1873. Five children have been
born to this union, named as follows: Mary F.,
born January 26, 1900; Minnie J., born August 7,
1902; Mattie A., born January 25, 1905; Nellie B.,
born May 5, 1907; Eva M., born July 22,
1909.
OLE THORESON (1905),
attorney at law at Lakefield, is a native of St.
Croix county, Wisconsin, where he was born
December 1, 1872. He is the son of Thore and
Ingeborg (Haldorson) Thoreson. His parents were
born in Norway and were married there. They came
to the United States in the late sixties and
located in St. Croix county, where they
homesteaded land and where they still reside. Our subject is
one of a family of seven children, as follows:
Thore, Henry, C. F., Ole, Tobey, Anna and
Peter.
Our subject spent his boyhood
days on his father’s farm in St. Croix county. He
began attending the district schools when six
years of age and when fourteen he entered St. Olaf
college at Northfield, Minnesota, where, with the
exception of one year, he was a student for six
years. After finishing his junior year Thoreson
was made principal of the school at Woodville,
Wisconsin, his home town, and taught one year.
After leaving St. Olaf he entered Minnesota state
university and completed the academic course in
1901. Two years later he began his studies in the
law department of the university and was graduated
in 1905, having been admitted to the bar June 2,
1905. He at once moved to Lakefield opened an
office and has since been practicing his
profession in that city. He practices in all
courts.
Mr. Thoreson was married in
Lakefield December 20, 1907 to Amanda Erickson. a
native of Jackson county and a daughter of Emil
and Amelia Erickson, of Lakefield. To Mr. and Mrs.
Thoreson has born one child. Lola Evelyn,
born November 5, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Thoreson are
members of the Lutheran
church.
TILBERT THORESON (1886),
Christiania township farmer, was born in
Cottonwood county, Minnesota, June 22, 1881, the
oldest child born to Anton and Carrie (Larson)
Thoreson. When he was
five years of age he accompanied his parents to
Jackson county, where he has ever since lived.
After growing to manhood he engaged in farming,
and he now farms the northeast quarter of section
31. He is a member of the Lutheran church.
The parents of our subject
were natives of Norway. The father was a well
digger and farmer. He died in 1895. His widow
makes her home with the subject of this biography.
There are six children in the family, namely:
Tilbert, born June 22, 1881; Olof, born January
24, 1885; Lizzie, born November 28, 1888; Igman,
born September 16, 1890; Emil, born October 12,
1893; Clara, born December 19, 1894.
BEN J. TOLLEFSON (1871),
who owns a forty acre timber tract on section 16,
Belmont township, is an early day settler of
Jackson county. He is a native of Norway and was
born May 17, 1852, the son of Tolef and Aletta
(Johnson) Tollefson. These parents came from
Norway in 1865 and to Jackson county in 1871. The
father of our subject homesteaded land in West
Heron Lake township in 1875 and made his home
there until his death, which occurred in 1885. The
mother of our subject made her home with Ben
Tollefson until her death in August, 1903, aged
eighty-seven and one-half years. They were the
parents of four children: Matt, of Jackson; John,
who died in 1884: Helen (Mrs. Christian Olson),
who died in 1900 at her home in Wisconsin; Ben J.,
of this sketch.
Ben Tollefson came to America
with his parents in 1865, resided five years in
Lafayette county, Wisconsin, a short time in
Fillmore county, Minnesota, and accompanied his
parents to Jackson county in 1871. He secured 120
acres of land on section 8, West Heron Lake
township, where he resided until 1894. He then
sold out and moved south, buying a farm in
Oktibbeha county, Mississippi. He did not like
the country and a year and a half later returned
to Jackson county. He bought 86 acres of land
adjoining the village of Jackson on the southeast,
where he lived eight years. Disposing of that
property, Mr. Tollefson
bought the timber tract where he now resides,
erected buildings thereon and moved onto the
place. He engages in farming only to a limited
extent. During his residence in West Heron Lake
Township Mr. Tollefson was always honored with
township offices.
The gentleman whose name
heads this biography was married in West Heron
Lake township in June, 1879, to Inga Goplen, who
was born in Allamakee county, Iowa, September 13,
1861, and who is the daughter of Nels Goplen. To
Mr. and Mrs. Tollefson have been born the
following named three children: Nettie (Mrs.
Albert Holleck), of Jackson, born January 13,
1881; Alvin. who resides at home, born December
25, 1882; Elmer, of Minneapolis, born March 31,
1887.
HANS TOLLEFSON (1870) is
one of the early day settlers of Christiania
Township and one of the best known residents of
that precinct. He has a farm
of 400 acres, well improved with fine buildings,
and has made a success of his agricultural
pursuits.
Mr. Tollefson was born in
Norway April 5, 1835, the son of a carpenter,
Tollef Christopherson by name. His mother was
Ingebor (Hansen) Christopherson. He received a
common school education in the land of his
nativity and after growing to manhood worked at
the stone mason’s trade. He came to America in
1868, resided one year in Wisconsin, one year near
Estherville, Iowa, and in June, 1870, arrived in
the county of Jackson, which was destined to be
his home ever after. Upon his arrival he took as a
homestead claim 80 acres of his present farm, and
upon that place he has lived nearly forty years.
Besides his farming interests, Mr. Tollefson has
stock in the Christiania Creamery company, the
Farmers Elevator company of Windom and the company
which owns the store at Bergen. He served two
years as a member of the township board of
supervisors, is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran
church of Christiania and is a member of the Sons
of Norway order.
Mr. Tollefson was married in
March 1865, to Vil Nelson. To them have been born
the following named children: Tollef, who is in
the mercantile business in Spokane, Washington,
born June 6, 1866, Ingebor (Mrs. Claud Stofer). of
Duluth, Minnesota, born February 2, 1871; Nettie
(Mrs. Peter Kyan), of Minneapolis, born January
24, 1874; Mary Mrs. James Morrison,
of Spokane, born June 5, 1877; Hannah J. (Mrs.
Henry Chester), of Christiania, born October 30,
1879; Henry, who resides at home, born November 7,
1881; Anna, a school teacher, born December 4,
1883; Christian, of Spokane, born January 15,
1880.
MARIUS TONDER (1885). hay
dealer and lessee of the Ole Anderson ice plant of
Jackson, has been a resident of the county nearly
a quarter of a century. He is a native of
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and was born April
17, 1865.
The parents of our subject
were Soren and Annie (Top) Tonder, who were also
natives of Schleswig-Holstein, having been born in
that country when it was Danish territory and
before it had been acquired by the German
empire. The elder
Tonder was a veteran of the war of 1848, serving
in the Danish army in its fight against Germany
for the possession of Schleswig. After the war he
engaged in mercantile pursuits. Marius is one of a
family of eight children, of whom the following
six are living: Peter, Jens, Marius, Antonia,
Annie and Catherina. Both parents died in their
native country.
Marius attended school and
worked in his father’s store and on his father’s
farm in the old country until he was twenty years
of age. Then, in 1885, he came to America, spent
that summer in Moline, Illinois, and in the fall
came to Jackson county. He bought land in
Wisconsin township and farmed it twelve years.
Moving to Jackson village at the end of that time,
he has since made his home there. For five years
he engaged in flax raising on land adjoining the
village and then engaged in the hay business. He
added to the latter business in 1907 by taking
over the ice business formerly conducted by Ole
Anderson. Mr. Tonder owns a home in the city. He
is a member of the Lutheran church and of the
Danish Brother hood lodge, being treasurer of the
latter.
Mr. Tonder made a trip to his
old German home in 1892, and there that year he
was united in marriage to Annie Christensen, a
daughter of Martin Christensen, who still resides
in the old country. To Mr. and Mrs. Tonder have
been born seven children as follows: Julius, born
June 4, 1893: Annie, born August 27, 1895: Mary,
born October 8, 1897; Emma, born April 8, 1901;
Florence, born June 22, 1903: Thyre, born
September 25, 1905; Olga, born April 21,
1908.
JOHN TORDSEN (1892),
farmer of Hunter township, is a son of Peter
Tordsen, of Rost township, and Christina
(Hendricks) Tordsen, who died in Iowa January 26,
1888. John was born in Ida county, Iowa, April 3,
1884, and accompanied his father to Jackson county
in 1892. He was brought up on his father’s Rost
township farm and was educated in the district
schools. He resided at home until 1907, Then he
went to McLean county North Dakota, resided there
one year, and then returned to Jackson county. He
was married in 1908, and since that time has been
engaged in farming the northwest quarter of
section 18, Hunter township, which is owned by his
father.
Mr. Tordsen was married in
Jackson November 25, 1908 to Marie Lamp, who was
born in Germany January 13, 1888, and who came to
the United States in
1902.
PETER TORDSEN (1893) is
one of the large land owners of Rost township and
one of the township’s most successful farmers and
stock raisers. He owns 653 acres of land in Rost
and Hunter townships. He farms 400 acres of his
possessions, while the rest is farmed by his
sons.
Mr. Tordsen is a native of
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and was born January
19, 1856. His father, Jacob Tordsen, died in
Germany when Peter was nine years of age; his
mother, Annie (Struwe) Tordsen, died in Scott
county, Iowa, in 1901, having reached the age of
eighty years.
In his native land the
subject of this biography lived until he was
sixteen years of age, receiving his education in a
little village and working most of the time on the
farm. When he was ten
years of age he began working at the weaver’s
trade and worked nights at that trade for two
years. Mr. Tordsen came to America in 1872 and
located at Davenport, Iowa, where he resided ten
years, working as a farm hand. In 1882 he moved to
Ida county, Iowa, and engaged in farming rented
land near the town of Holstein eleven years. He
came to Jackson county in 1893 and located upon
his present farm in Rost township (the home farm
is the northeast quarter of section 34), which he
had bought the year before and where he has ever
since lived. He has prospered since coming to the
county and has added the other real estate by
purchase.
Mr. Tordsen believes in
cooperation among the farmers and is interested in
several cooperative companies. It was largely
through his efforts that the Rost Cooperative
Dairy association was organized, and he has been
an officer of the association ever since its
organization. He also has
stock in the First National Bank of Lakefield, in
the Jackson County Cooperative Store company and
the Farmers Elevator company of the same town. Of
the last named company he is a member of the board
of directors. Mr. Tordsen is one of the
supervisors of Rost township and is serving his
second year. He is clerk of school district No. 19
and has been a school officer since 1894.
Mr. Tordsen has been married
twice and has a large family. His first marriage
occurred in Scott county, Iowa, December 8, 1876
when he wedded Christina Hendrickson. She died
January 26, 1888. As a result of this union the
following children were born: Alfred, born June
23, 1877, died December 19, 1900; William, a Rost
township farmer, born January 14, 1879; Ella (Mrs.
Christ Staffran), of McLean county, North Dakota,
born September 23, 1882: John, a Hunter township
farmer, born April 3, 1884; Mary (Mrs. Edward
Yucker), of McLean county North Dakota, born
August 5, 1885; Herman, of Hunter township, born
January 10, 1888.
The second marriage of Mr.
Tordsen occurred at Ida Grove, Iowa, August 16,
1889, when he wedded Annie Lamp, who was born in
Schleswig-Holstein. Germany, March 17, 1869, and
came to the United States when fourteen years of
age and resided at Holstein, Iowa. To these
parents have been born the following named
children: Louie, born January 15, 1890; Ferdinand,
born October 1, 1891: Helmut, born July 7, 1893:
Laura, born October 20, 1897: Reinhardt. born June
25, 1900; Walter, born September 29, 1903; Wilma,
born February 6, 1908; Henry Adolph, born December
10, 1909.
WILLIAM TORDSEN (1893)
owns and farms the northeast quarter of section 22
Rost township. He is the son of Peter Tordsen, of
Rost township, and Christina (Hendricks) Tordsen,
who died in Ida county, Iowa, January 20,
1888.
William Tordsen was born in
Scott county Iowa January 14, 1870 and when two
years of age moved with his parents to Ida county,
Iowa. There he was brought up on his father’s farm
and received his primary education. He accompanied
his parents to Jackson county in 1893 and
completed his education in the district school in
Rost township. He made his home with his father
until 1901. That year he engaged in the threshing
business in partnership with John Husen until 1903
and two years later sold a half interest to his
brother, and has been so engaged ever since. In
1903 he also engaged in farming, renting the
Julius Meyer farm in Rost. In the spring of 1909
he moved onto his present farm, which he had
bought in 1908. Besides his other interests Mr.
Tordsen has
stock in the Farmers Elevator company of
Lakefield. He is treasurer of school district No.
109.
Mr. Tordsen was married in
Jackson June 6, 1902. to Bertha Meyer, daughter of
Julius and Marie (Steffen) Meyer, of Lake Park,
Iowa. Mrs. Tordsen was born in Holstein, Iowa,
June 6, 1884, and came to Jackson county with her
parents in 1897.
ALBERT F. TRAMM (1906),
of Petersburg township, is a native of Will
county, Illinois, and was born January 21, 1874,
the son of John and Louise (Trubach) Tramm. Until
he was fifteen years of age he lived on the home
farm with his folks in Illinois, and then went to
Lake county, Indiana, where he worked on the farm
of Mr. Joe Hayden for one year. In the year 1893
he worked in Will county as a carpenter for Mr. E.
Koch. After that he worked at different places in
Lake county, Indiana, and Will county, Illinois,
for six years.
On the 14th day of November, 1899, he
was united in marriage to Minnie Berg, of Lowell,
Indiana. Four children have been born to this
union, as follows: Jennie G., born February 28,
1901; Elnora, born May 7, 1903; Lizzie B., born
September 16, 1905 died June 9, 1907; Minnie M.,
born September 30, 1907. Mr. Tramm
belongs to the E. F. U. lodge. At this writing
he has served two years as school director in his
district.
At the age of twenty-five
years Mr. Tramm moved onto his old homestead and
farmed it for a term of six years. On the first
day of March, 1906, Mr. Tramm arrived in Jackson
county, and since that time he has been engaged in
farming in Petersburg
township.
TROND O. TRONDSON (1869)
has lived on his present farm on the south bank of
Heron lake, on the southwest quarter of section
30, Heron Lake Township, for the past forty years,
and he is one of the oldest settlers of the
township. In addition to the quarter section upon
which he lives he owns a half of section 25 West
Heron Lake township, and is one of the big farmers
of the community.
Mr. Trondson is a Norwegian
by birth, and first saw the light of day August 1,
1653. His parents were Ole and Carrie (Olson)
Trondson, whom he accompanied to America in
1865. After a
residence of four years in Allamakee county, Iowa,
the family decided to push on still farther west,
and in 1869, accompanied by four other families, a
journey to Canton, Dakota territory, was begun.
When Swan lake, Iowa, was reached Mr. Trondson,
the elder, died, and the trip to Dakota was
abandoned. The other
families of the party settled in the vicinity
Estherville, while Mrs. Trondson and
her family came north into Jackson county. She
bought from a Mr. Cleveland a homestead right to
the southwest quarter of section 30, Heron Lake
township, and there she established her family
home. For eighteen years their only habitation was
a sod shanty, which stood where Mr. Trondson’s
home is now.
Mr. Trondson’s mother died
eleven years ago in Campbell county, South Dakota,
where she had made her home with a son. In the
early seventies Mr. Trondson homesteaded a tract
of land nearby, and later he acquired his mother’s
homestead. Ever since locating in the county in
1869 his home has been on section 311. He added
the tract in West Heron Lake by purchase about
1893.
The first marriage of Mr.
Trondson occurred in Heron Lake township January
6, 1879, when he wedded Helena Rongstad, who was
born in Norway November 6, 1861, and who was the
daughter of Andrew Rongstad, As a result of this
union the following children were born: Clara,
born April 7, 1881; Albert, born May 10, 1883;
Theodore, born October 20, 1885; Ole born November
29, 1888, died May 19, 1909. Mr. Trondson’s first
wife died, and on January 6, 1892, he was united
in marriage to Mary Mone, a native of Norway and a
daughter of Ole Mone. Mr. and Mrs. Trondson are
the parents of nine living children, as follows:
Hilda, born April 15, 1893; Hannah, born July 27,
1894; Thea, born October 16, 1895; Christena, born
January 6, 1897; Carrie, born January 31, 1899;
Constance, born November 11, 1901; William R. born August 1,
1904: Walbag R. born August 1, 1904; Joseph born
December 19, 1906. The family are members of the
Norwegian Lutheran church. Mr. Trondson has been
treasurer of school district No. 81 since it was
organized.
EMIL TROSIN (1881) owns a
two hundred acre farm in Heron Lake township a
short distance northeast of Lakefield. where he
has a line home and well improved farm.
Mr. Trosin was born in the
Fatherland October 18, 1869, the son of Frederick
and Christina (Mattzlof) Trosin, both deceased. At
the age of twelve years he accompanied his parents
to the new world and came with them to Jackson
county. For five years he lived with his parents
on their farm on section 28, Heron Lake township,
and for the next six years he worked on the farm
of D. W. Kolander. The next year he spent working
for his brother in Emmet county, Iowa, and then he
and his brother engaged in farming in Martin
county. One year later Mr. Trosin again moved to
Jackson county and located upon his present farm,
which he had bought two years before. The place
was practically unimproved at the time and all the
improvements on the farm are the result of his
labors. During the
summer of 1909 he erected a fine nine-room
residence at a cost of $2,200.
Mr. Trosin was married in
Rost township April 10, 1898, to Annie Zach, who
was born in Jackson county June 2, 1876. Mr. and
Mrs. Trosin have no
children of their own, but they have an adopted
son, Fred E. Istel, aged nineteen years and a
native of Milwaukee. Mr. Trosin is a
member of the Heron Lake township board of
supervisors and he has held the office of
president of the Heron Lake Creamery company for
the last six years.
FREDERICK W. TROSIN
(1881) owns and farms 240 acres of land in Heron
Lake township a short distance north of Lakefield
where he has resided nearly thirty years. Mr. Trosin was
born in Germany September 28, 1857. There he
received his education and there he spent the
first twenty-four years of his life. His early
days were spent working at farm work but during
the last seven years of his residence there he was
engaged as a fisherman.
Our subject came to America
in 1881 and proceeded immediately to Jackson
county. Two months after his arrival he became a
land owner, buying a part of his present farm. He
spent the first two or three years working out on
neighboring farms, then married and engaged in
farming. The farm at the time of purchase was
unimproved except for a little homesteader’s cabin
in which he lived four or five years and he has
made all the improvements the place boasts. The parents of
our subject were Frederick and Christina
(Mattzlof) Trosin. They came to America the same
time their son did, and the father died on his
son’s farm in Heron Lake township. There are nine
children in the family—six boys and three
girls—and all are living in the United
States.
Mr. Trosin was married in
Rost township December 21, 1884, to Tillie
Mittelstadt, who was born in Germany and who came
to America when one year old. She accompanied her
parents Frederick and Sophia Mittelstadt from the
old country, lived in Wisconsin a short time and
then located in Rost township. Her father, who
was one of the early homesteaders of Rost
township, died in 1900; her mother is yet living.
To Mr. and Mrs. Trosin have been born five
children, as follows: Bertha (Mrs. Ferdinand
Malchow)., Othela, Menna, Emma and Leonard.
William died at the age of eighteen months and
Richard died when sixteen years of age.
Mr. Trosin was largely
responsible for the organization of school
district No. 80 and he has been the treasurer of
the district ever since. He is a member of the
German Lutheran church of
Lakefield.
JOHN TUSA (1884) is a
farmer of Wisconsin township residing just south
of the village of Alpha. He was born in the city
of Chicago August 31, 1876, the son of John and
Maria (Frantna) Tusa. He came to Jackson with his
parents in July, 1884, and resided at home until
1892, when he was sixteen years of age. He then started
out in life for himself, working the first six
years for W. W. Tuttle. He then engaged in farming
one year, and in 1899 bought a well digging
outfit, and was engaged in the well drilling
occupation for seven years. In 1906 he began
farming again.
Mr. Tusa was married February
22, 1908, to Josie Ambrose, to whom have been born
two children, as follows: Alfred, born July 14,
1907; Mary, born September 18, 1908. The family
are members of the Catholic church of Jackson and
he belongs to the Modern Woodmen
lodge.
HENRY W. UDEN (1892) is
one of the extensive farmers and stock raisers of
Ewington township. He has a finely improved farm
of 320 acres on sections 21 and 22, his stock
sheds being rated among the best in Jackson
county. He makes a specialty of raising full
blooded Shorthorn cattle. Shropshire sheep and
Poland China swine and deals in good grade horses.
He is an extensive feeder and shipper.
Mr. Uden was born in Woodford
county, Illinois. April 8, 1858, the son of George
and Elizabeth (Jenson) Uden, of whom the former
died two years ago at the age of eighty years, and
the latter is living in Livingston county,
Illinois. Henry was educated in the district
schools of his native county and until he reached
his majority resided on his father’s farm. He then
engaged in business for himself, farming, rented
land two years, and then taking charge of his
father’s farm, his parent having retired from
active life for eight years. In 1889 Mr.
Uden moved to Minonk, Illinois, and for three
years was engaged in the mercantile business. He
sold out in 1892 and located upon his farm in
Ewington township, Jackson county, which he had
bought before coming to the county. His farm first
included only the northeast quarter of section 21
but eight years ago he added to his holdings by
the purchase of the northwest quarter of section
22.
Mr. Uden was married in
Woodford county, Illinois, in June 1873, to Fannie
Bentz, who died two years later. One child, now
Mrs. Amel Will, of
Round Lake, was born to this union. The second
marriage of Mr. Uden occurred in Woodford county
in June, 1877, when he wedded Minnie Hendricks.
Eleven children have been born to these parents,
of whom the following nine are living: George,
Rudolph, Theodore, Ellsworth, Herman, Henry,
Wilbert, Amelia and Minnie. The family are members
of the German Lutheran church. Mr. Uden has been a
member of the school board of district No. 99 for
a number of years and is now the
treasurer.
JOSEPH UKOSICK (1891) is
a farmer and land owner of Hunter township. He was
born in Austria in 1870, the son of John and Katie
Ukosick. The former is dead; the latter is the
wife of Albert Dunai.
Joseph was seventeen years of
age when he came to America and located in New
Haven county, Connecticut. The first three years
of his life in the new world were spent working in
a straw hat and matting factory; then he decided
to come west. He came to Jackson county, lived
here two months and then went to Chicago, where he
was one year. Coming to Jackson county again in
1891 he located permanently. Until 1901 he engaged
in farming rented land. Then he bought his present
farm, the northwest quarter of section 32, Hunter
township, and has since made his home there,
making most of the improvements on his farm.
Mr. Ukosick was married in
Jackson county in September, 1892, to Tessi Dunai,
also a native of Austria. The following named
seven children have been born to this union:
Katie, born October 29, 1893; Frank, born March
13, 1895; Mary, born March 23, 1897: Annie, born
May 18, 1898; Joseph, born August 14, 1899;
Francie, born October 20, 1902; Jacob, born July
22, 1905. The family are members of the Catholic
church.
JOHN UPTAGRAFFT (1881) is
a resident of Middletown township, Jackson county,
engaged in agricultural pursuits.
The grandfather of our
subject was a native of Pennsylvania and his
grandmother of Ireland.
His father was born in
Pennsylvania November 26, 1828. In 1834 he moved
to Ashland county, Ohio, where he engaged in
farming. Nine years
later he moved to Monroe county, Michigan, where
he again engaged in agricultural pursuits until
1857. That year he moved to Olmsted County,
Minnesota. John Uptagrafft
was born in Olmsted county, Minnesota, in 1857.
When he was only six years old his parents took
him to Spirit Lake, Iowa, near Orleans. His father
lived here until his death in May 1893. His mother
lived with her children until her death in 1905 at
the age of 92 years.
John Uptagrafft lived at home
until about nineteen years of age, spending his
time during the winter months roaming over the
southern part of Minnesota, trapping and hunting.
He was unmolested, as there were no settlers for
many miles around, the nearest railroad stations
being Mankato, Minnesota: Fort Dodge, Iowa: and
Sioux City, Iowa.
In the year 1878, on July 21,
Mr. Uptagrafft was married to Miss Mary Etta
Waite. He lived with his parents at Orleans, Iowa,
until 1882 when he bought eighty acres of land in
the northern part of Minncota township Jackson
county. He lived on this place until 1894 at which
time he sold his home and bought 160 acres of his
father-in-law, in Middletown —the northwest
quarter of section 32. On that place he now
resides.
Mr. and Mrs. Uptagrafft have
a family of twelve children, all living. They are
as follows: Sarah Loretta, born August 31, 1879;
l.eroy. born August 9, 1881 ; Eurias, born
December 7, 1882: Alford Earnest, born May 13,
1885; Abbie, born August 6, 1887; Vernie, born May
31, 1889; Bertha, born August 26, 1890: Alla J.
and Alice May (twins), born October 26, 1892:
Claud Ray born October 22, 1895: Ralph R. born
August 22, 1897; John Floid, born May 30,
1902.
JOSEPH VACEK (1889) is an
Enterprise township farmer who has lived on his
present farm twenty years. He owns 320 acres—the
southwest quarter of section 13 and the northeast
quarter of the same section.
Mr. Vacek was born in Austria
March 10, 1862, son of the late Martin Vacek and
Mary Vacek. At the age of thirteen he came to the
United States with his parents and located in
Jones county, Iowa. In that county he received a
common school education and grew to manhood on his
father’s farm. He came to Jackson county on April
1, 1889, located upon his present farm, and that
has ever since been his home. In addition to his
farming operations, he is interested in the
Enterprise Horse company. He is the clerk of
school district 94 and has held the office nine
years. He and family are members of the Catholic
church and he is a member of the Catholic Western
Union order.
January 28, 1892, Mr. Vacek
was married to Annie Koba. To them have been born
seven children, named as follows: John, born May
16, 1893; Frank, born July 25, 1895; Anna, born
April 24, 1899; Joseph, born February 12, 1901;
Alfred, born March 14, 1903; Martin, born January
12, 1905; Mary, born June 12,
1907.
EDWARD F. VACURA (1886)
Des Moines township farmer, was born in Linn
county, Iowa June 10, 1883, and is the son of the
late John Vacura and Barbara (Lev) Vacura. Edward was
three years of age when the family came to Jackson
county. They located upon the south half of the
northeast quarter of section 8 Des Moines, and
upon that farm our subject has spent his life. He
was educated in the district school and until the
death of his father, which occurred January 5,
1900, he worked for his parents. He has now rented
the home place and is engaged in farming on his
own account.
Mr. Vacura was married
October 26, 1909 to Mary Micklos, eldest daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. John Micklos of Jackson county,
Minnesota. He has served
as assessor of his township for the last two years
and is also a member of the school board of
district No. 8. He is a member of the M. W. A.
lodge.
JAMES VACURA (1886) is a
Des Moines township farmer. He is a native of
Bohemia and was born March 3, 1870 the son of John
and Barbara (Lev) Vacura. The family came to
America in 1880 and to Jackson county six years
later, locating on section 8. Des Moines township,
where they resided until Mr. Vacura’s death on
January 5, 1909, at the age of seventy-one and
one-half years. The mother of our subject is
living at the age of 67 years. There were
seven children in the family, as follows: Barbara,
James, Annie, Lewis, Joseph, Edward and Rosa.
Lewis resides at Perth, North Dakota: the other
are residents of Jackson county.
James Vacura accompanied his
parents when they came from the old country and
for six years lived with them at Mount Vernon,
Linn county, Iowa. He came with them to Jackson
county in 1880, and until he was nineteen years of
age lived on the home farm in Des Moines township.
Thereafter until he was twenty-four years of age
he worked out as a farm laborer in the vicinity of
Jackson. In 1894 Mr. Vacura married and moved to
Linn county, Iowa, and in that county he engaged
in farming until the spring of 1909. He then
returned to Jackson county and rented from his
brother, Joseph Vacura the southwest quarter of
section 8, Des Moines.
Mr. Vacura was married at
Cedar Rapids, Iowa. June 12, 1894, to Emma
Shramek, a native of Linn county, Iowa, and a
daughter of Wesley Shramek. Six children have been
born to this union, named as follows: Godfrey,
born March 12, 1895: Emma born January 29, 1898:
Wesley, born February 2, 1900 Frank, born November
29, 1902: Robert, born July 30, 1904: Tillie, born
April 3, 1908. Mr. Vacura is a
member of the Bohemian
lodge.
OTTO VAGT (1902), of
Middletown township, is one of the county’s
successful farmers and big stock feeders and
shippers. He owns all of section 9 and with his
sons farms it all. He feeds hogs
and cattle extensively and each year ships three
car loads.
Mr. Vagt was born in Germany
June 25, 1854, the youngest of a family of eleven
children, of whom the following four are living:
Mary (Mrs. Herman Lippold), of Memphis, Tennessee;
Louisa (Mrs. Hartwig Buene), of Germany; Dora
(Mrs. Christ Carlson), of Germany, and Otto. The
parents of our subject were Nicholas and Anna
(Hinak) Vagt.
Otto lived in Germany until
nineteen years of age, attending school and
working on his father’s farm. He came to the
United States in 1873 and located at Davenport
Iowa. He worked in a butcher shop in the city one
year and on a farm nearby two years; then he
rented land in the vicinity and engaged in farming
eight or nine years. His next location was
Pipestone county, Minnesota, where he bought a
half section farm and engaged in agricultural
pursuits until he came to Jackson county in 1902.
He bought his 140 acre farm of C. H. Puckett.
Mr. Vagt was married at
Reinbeck, Grundy county, Iowa, November 3, 1883,
to Mary Brix, also a native of Germany. They have
nine children, named as follows: John, born August
10, 1884; August, born October 19, 1885; Herman,
born January 20, 1887; Hugo, born June 8, 1888;
Emma, born January 2, 1890: Anna, born August 20,
1893; Louisa, born September 11, 1894; Frank, born
October 23, 1897; George, born January 21,
1901. Mr. Vagt is a
member of the German Lutheran church and of the M.
W. A. lodge.
HENRY I. VALGAMORE
(1882). of Jackson, is a native of Knox county,
Illinois, and was born January 11, 1853. His
parents were Davis S. and Samantha (Brace)
Valgamore, natives of Ohio and Illinois,
respectively. The former served in the war of the
rebellion, being captain of company D, of the
Seventh Illinois cavalry. After the war he located
near Parsons, Kansas, and died at that place in
1879, aged 54 years. His wife died in Illinois in
1857.
Henry Valgamore’s mother
dying when he was four years of age, he was
brought up in the home of his grandparents at
Abingdon, Illinois, residing with them until 1870.
He then went to Kansas, and for the next twelve
years resided in the states of Kansas, Minnesota
and Illinois, engaged in various occupations. In the early
eighties, his father having died, Mr. Valgamore
returned to Kansas and spent the next five years
conducting the farm and settling up the business
affairs of his father. He then bought a farm in
Fillmore county, Minnesota, and engaged in
agricultural pursuits there until 1892. That year
he located in Jackson and the next year bought the
Jackson creamery, which he conducted, as well as a
bottling works plant, until 1906, when he sold to
Isaac Wadsworth. Since that date he has not been
actively engaged in business, but he handles
automobiles and conducts a garage during the
season. He owns two residences in Jackson. He is a
member of the Odd Fellows and Yeomen lodges.
Mr. Valgamore was married at
Oswego, Kansas, November 22, 1881, to Allie M.
Clark, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Chester
and Sylvia Clark. To them have been born eight
children, as follows: Chester D., born August 22,
1882; Estill B., born February 6, 1884; Ivan R.,
born June 9, 1886; Velma H., born May 3, 1888; Coy
C, born January 29, 1894; Cecil H., born May 22,
1900; Sylvia, born May 6, 1890, died October 12,
1890; Vernon, born May 3, 1888, died October 11,
1890.
BRADFORD F. VANDUZEE
(1882), who now lives a retired life in Jackson,
is a native of Gouverueur township, St. Lawrence
county, New York, having been born February 27,
1827. His parents were David and Chloe (Wood)
Vanduzee, who were born and married in the state
of Vermont. Eight years after their marriage they
moved to St. Lawrence county New York, where they
resided the rest of their lives. His father lived
to be 85 years of age and his mother 65. The elder
Vanduzee was a miller by trade and engaged in
business in St. Lawrence county for a number of
years. There were seventeen children in the
family, of which our subject was the youngest.
Only one of the other children survives, Mrs.
Nancy Hodgbloom, who lives at Gouverneur, New
York, and who is 85 years of age.
Bradford grew to manhood in
his native county, residing with his parents until
seventeen years of age. At that age he went to De
Kalb, New York, and for the next three years
served an apprenticeship to the carpenter’s trade,
after which he followed his trade there one year.
At the age of twenty-one years he came west,
locating in Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin. He
worked at his trade there one year and then
located in Waupaca, Wisconsin, where he resided
two years and where he engaged to erect a mill.
The next permanent location of Mr. Vanduzee was
Vernon county, Wisconsin, where he was destined to
pass many years of his life. During his long
residence there he worked at his trade, also
engaging in farming, having purchased a two
hundred acre farm, which was managed by a hired
man.
In 1864 Mr. Vanduzee enlisted
from Vernon county, Wisconsin, in company D, of
the Eighteenth Wisconsin regiment, and served
until the close of the war, participating in the
grand review of Washington.
From Wisconsin Mr. Vanduzee
came to Jackson county in 1882, and this has ever
since been his home. Upon his arrival he bought a
farm on section 13, Wisconsin township (a farm
which he still owns), and there he made his home,
working at the carpenter trade while his sons
managed the farm. He erected many of the buildings
in the neighborhood and when the village of Alpha
was founded nearby he erected the first structure
on the townsite as well as many of the town’s
first buildings. In 1892 Mr.
Vanduzee located in Jackson, where he has since
lived. Until the fall of 1908 he worked at his
trade, since which time he has retired from active
labors. In addition to his farm. Mr. Vanduzee owns
a residence and a shop in Jackson. While living in
Wisconsin township he served as township assessor
and was one of the school directors of his
district.
Mr. Vanduzee was married at
Waupaca, Wisconsin, August 8, 1852, to Theresa J.
Perkins, who was the daughter of Chester and
Salinda (Chase) Perkins and who was born in
Cattaraugus county, New York, January 30, 1828.
Nine children were born to this union, of whom the
following seven are living: Solomon, Alice Smith,
Finney, Grant, Lurilla Short, Chloe Carr, and
Willard. The deceased children are Ralph, who died
in March, 1907, and Rosa Smith, who died in May,
1908, aged 56 years.
ANTON VAVRICHEK (1906).
who owns the Clear Lake creamery on section 24.
Hunter township, is a butter maker of many years
experience.
He was born in the province
of Moravia, Austria November 24,
1868, the son of Anton and Antionette (Yukl)
Vavrichek. When he was one
year old the family came to the United States and
located at Western College, Linn county,
Iowa.
Anton received his education
in Linn county and grew to manhood there. After a
residence of eighteen years in Linn county he
moved to Spirit Lake, Iowa, where he resided seven
years. During this time he learned the creamery
business, taking a seven months’ course in the
Iowa state agricultural school at Ames. Moving to
Colorado, he conducted his first creamery there
one year, then he returned and located at Spencer,
Iowa. He operated a creamery there on salary five
years, and then conducted it for his own account
one year. We next find Mr. Vavrichek at Mount
Vernon, South Dakota, where for two years he was
foreman of a creamery plant. He came to
Jackson county in May 1906, bought the Clear Lake
creamery, and has since conducted it, building it
up to the standard it maintains today. Mr.
Vavrichek has served as township supervisor one
year. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen
lodge.
Mr. Vavrichek was married to
Miss Anna C. Anderson, of Spencer, Iowa, on
Christmas day, 1899. To them has been born one
child, Lloyd born January 24,
1906.
ADAM VOEHL (1868),Rost
township farmer, was born in Kurfersten, Hessen,
Germany October 6, 1846, the son of John and Clara
(Hellwel) Voehl. His father, who was born in 1802,
died when Adam was six years old. His mother was
born June 14, 1814, and died in Illinois December
28, 1883.
Adam Voehl lived in Germany
until nineteen years of age, receiving an
education in the public schools and working on the
farm. He came to the
United States with a brother in 1867 and settled
in Peru, Illinois. There he worked out by the
month at farm work six years. At the end of that
time he moved to Iroquois county, Illinois, where
he lived until coming to Jackson county in 1896
for many years he farmed a rented farm there and
during the last eight years of his residence in
Illinois owned real estate.
It was in February, 1896,
that Mr. Voehl came to Jackson county to reside.
Some little time before he had bought the west
half of section 23, Rost township, and when he
came it was upon that farm that he located. Six years after
his arrival he bought the northwest quarter of
section 20, of the same township, both of which
pieces of land he still owns. The farm was only
partly improved when he bought it; today it is one
of the fine farms of the township.
Mr. Voehl engages quite
extensively in stock raising and has interests in
the Rost creamery and the farmers elevator at
Lakefield. He is a member
of the German Lutheran church of Rost
township.
Mr. Voehl is a man of family,
having been married at Buckley, Illinois February
3, 1884, to Mary Poppentick, who was born in
Illinois April 12, 1861. To these parents have
been born seven children, as follows: Clara
(Mrs. Herman A.
Rost), of Lakefield, born February 7, 1885;
Lizzie, born March 17, 1887; John, born January
24, 1889; Mary, born March 10, 1891: Annie, born
April 19, 1893; Freda, born August 16, 1896;
Willie, born March 23, 1899.
HENRY W. VOEHL (1891) One
of the most successful farmers of Rost Township)
is the gentleman whose name leads this
biography. Henry W. Voehl
was born in LaSalle county, Illinois, September 2,
1870, the son of Conrad and Barbara (Steinhardt)
Voehl. When he was two years old the family moved
to Iroquois county, and there be grew to manhood,
he attended the country schools and worked on his
father’s farm. As farm land was high in that
county, in the spring of 1891, Henry was sent to
Jackson county to work on a farm there for one
season, to find out the opportunities offered, the
climate conditions, etc. being well
pleased with the country he went back to Illinois
in December, 1891 and returned to Jackson county
in the spring of 1892 accompanied by his parents
brothers and sister and many other immigrants from
Iroquois county, the party having with them an
entire train load of stock, machinery and
household goods.
After arriving in Jackson
county Henry completed his education with a year’s
course in the Brock college of Wilder, and
thereafter he worked on his father’s Rost township
farm until 1899. That year he engaged in farming
for himself having bought the northwest quarter of
section 16 the year before, and that has ever
since been his home. When he bought the farm it
was unimproved prairie land, and all the
improvements which grace the place today are the
results of his work. He has a commodious
residence, modern in every particular. His farm is all
tiled and fenced with hogtight fencing in the
six-field system.
Besides his farming
operations Mr. Voehl is interested in many other
lines of business. He has just begun the breeding
of the thoroughbred Holstein cattle for dairy
purposes, and expects to engage in the business
extensively. For the past
nine years he has owned and operated a threshing
machine. When the Rost Cooperative Dairy
association was organized in 1898 he was one of
the organizers and was its first secretary, an
office he also holds at the present time. He has
also been president and a director of the company.
Mr. Voehl was one of the organizers of one of the
first rural telephone lines in Jackson county—the
Rost Telephone company and has ever since been
secretary of the company. He has stock in the
First National Bank of Lakefield and is vice
president of the bank. He is also a stockholder in
the First State Bank of Okabena and in the Jackson
County Cooperative company’s store at Lakefield.
He has shares in and is a director of the Farmers
Cooperative Elevator company of Lakefield.
In church matters Mr. Voehl
takes a prominent part. He is a member of the Rost
German Lutheran church and has been treasurer of
the church society for a number of years. In a
local political way he has also been active. He has been
clerk of Rost township since March, 1805, and has
been clerk of school district No. 103 for the past
seventeen years. He was the census enumerator for
the townships of Rost and Ewington, when the
federal census of 1900 was taken. He also does
surveying for tile drains.
The parents of Henry Voehl
came to the United States from Germany in the
spring of 1870. They lived in LaSalle county,
Illinois, a short time and then located in
Iroquois county. They came to
Jackson county in 1891 made their home in Rost
township. The father died March 18, 1903, at the
age of 66 years. The mother still lives in Rost
and is 69 years of age. Henry is the youngest of a
family of four children, the others being Conrad
R., Walter and Lizzie (Mrs. Henry Brill).
Mr. Voehl is a man of family.
He was married in Rost township June 18, 1890, to
Mary Albers. She is a daughter of Henry and Annie
(Ernst) Albers and was born in Cook county
Illinois July 8, 1877. To Mr. and Mrs. Voehl have
been born four children, as follows: Annie B.,
born July 1, 1900: Lillian E., born April 4, 1902:
Leona F., born June 11, 1903: Sadie M., born
January 2, 1909.
PETER J. VOGT (1872).
Among the very earliest settlers of Alba township
is Peter J. Vogt, who has
lived in the precinct since he was a boy eighteen
years old. He owns 300 acres of land and farms it
all.
Mr. Vogt was born on board
ship on the Atlantic ocean while his parents were
on their way from Mecklenberg, Germany, to
America. The date of his
birth was September 17, 1854. His father was
Peter Vogt, who died in Missouri fourteen years
ago; his mother, Annie (Schuldt) Vogt, lives in
Missouri. Upon their
arrival to the new world the family located near
Toledo, Ohio, where they lived eight years, and
then resided in Monroe county, Michigan, until
they came to Jackson county in 1872. Peter was
brought up on a farm and had only meager
educational advantages.
He accompanied his parents to
Minnesota, arriving during the month of September,
1872. The family spent the winter of 1872-73 in
the village of Hersey {now Brewster), then just
founded, and in the spring moved onto a farm on
section eight Alba township, which the elder Vogt
took as a preemption claim. This farm is now owned
by our subject.
Until he was twenty-eight
years of age Peter lived at home and worked for
his father. During the
grasshopper scourge the family experienced very
hard times and our subject was obliged to work on
the section part of the time to earn money to
support the family, the father being a cripple. At
the age of twenty-eight years Mr. Vogt married and
engaged in farming and has prospered.
Mr. Vogt was married in Alba
township January 12, 1882, to Matilda Toball, who
was born in Prussia June 3, 1866. To this union
have been born the following four children: Emma,
born March 18, 1885; Lydia, born February 6, 1887;
Theodore, born May 24, 1889; Ernest, born July 28,
1900. The family are members of the German
Lutheran church of Brewster. Mr. Vogt served two
years as a member of the board of supervisors of
Alba township and he served as a director of
school district No. 86 for sixteen years, giving
up the office in July, 1909.
HENRY VON BEHREN (1892)
is one of the progressive and successful farmers
of Ewington township, where he has lived for the
last seventeen years. He owns and farms the south
half of section 2 and owns the northeast quarter
of section 11, which is farmed by his son. His
farm is well improved, he having laid eight car
loads of tile and having the place all fenced with
hog tight wire.
Mr. von Behren was born in
Germany December 11, 1854, the son of Henry and
Mary von Behren. His parents came to America in
1879 and died in Woodford county, Illinois. They were the
parents of thirteen children, Henry being next to
the eldest. Our subject was educated in his native
land, attending school for a total of seven and
one-half years, and spending his early years with
his parents on the farm.
In 1879 Mr. von Behren came
to America and located in Peoria, Illinois. He
worked in Peoria for a while and then went to
Woodford county, where he worked for his father on
the farm one year. During the next year he worked
in the coal mines and then spent one year working
at odd jobs. He was married in 1882 and then began
farming rented land in Woodford county, where he
resided until he came to Jackson county in 1892.
Two years before coming to the county Mr. von
Behren had purchased the south half of section 2,
Ewington township, and when he came to reside he
erected buildings and began the Improvement of the
farm. At the time he bought there was not a stick
of timber on the place—so scarce was it in fact,
that, as Mr. von Behren expresses it, he had to go
to Lakefield to get a stick to whip the children
with. He planted the grove and has made all the
improvements. He prospered and eight years ago
added to his land possessions by the purchase of
another quarter section. When Mr. von Behren came
to America he was practically penniless and had to
take any kind of work he could to get a start. For
several years he experienced many hardships. He
was naturalized in Woodford county, Illinois, on
the tenth day of October 1884.
In Woodford county Illinois,
on the ninth day of March 1882. Mr. von Behren was
united in marriage to Mina Mang who was born in
Germany September 20, 1862. They have nine
children living, Lena, August, Henry, Mary, Louis
and Sophia (twins), Fritz, Laura and Walter. Lena
and Charlie have died and two other children died
in infancy.
Mr. von Behren has been
treasurer of school district No. 91 ever since
coming to the county, was township treasurer six
years and for five years was on the town board. He
and his family are members of the German Lutheran
church of Ewington township. He has stock in the
creamery company of Brewtser.
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