MN AHGP Archives-Sibley Co. 1882 Bios
Sibley County biographies from the 1882 History of the Minnesota Valley, including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota


Henderson Twp.

Joseph Barle, born October 4, 1823, is a native of Germany but since 1856 has been a resident of America. He lived near St. Paul for about eighteen months, and in 1858 located in Henderson. His home is on section 13. Mr. Barle's wife was Caroline Schaffer, a native of Germany. They have four children: Christina, Annie, Joseph and George.

Stephen Bock, a native of Germany, was born December 26, 1854 and in 1857 accompanied his parents to the United States. Mr. Bock owns a farm of 118 acres on section 4. of Henderson. He was united in marriage with Teresa Schmidt who was born in Sibley county. Joseph is their only child.

August Dee was born February 15, 1830 in Prussia. Upon coming to America in 1855 he located in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, but in 1866 removed to Henderson; about two years later he came to his farm on section 11. Fanny Palts, a native of Germany, became his wife and they have seven children: Mary J., Fanny, Annie, August, Eva, Emma and Fred.

Julius Furch, a native of Prussia, was born September 24, 1834. In 1862 he immigrated to this country, and after living in Henderson about three years, he came to his present home of 148 acres on section 4. Mr. Furch was united in marriage with Christena Hansen who was born in Germany. Their children are Bertha and Amelia.

John Kirch was born January 29, 1824, in Germany, and upon coming to this country in 1852 he settled in Ohio. Removed from that state to Chicago, Illinois; then lived at New Ulm from 1855 until 1862 as which time he located permanently in Henderson; his farm on section 22, consists of 160 acres. Mary Zemah, a German by birth, was married to Mr. Kirch and is the mother of four children: Susan, Nicholas, Mary and John.

William Krueger was born in Germany in December 1837 and since 1843 has lived in America. He lived in Wisconsin thirty-four years engaged in various lines of business: Merchandising, carpentering and farming; in 1876 he removed to Blue Earth county, Minnesota, and one year later came here; he owns, on section 3, 200 acres of land. Married Wilhelmena Nell who has borne him nine children: Frank, William, Fred, Julius, Peter, Flora, Annie, Phillip and Albert.

August Mohrenweiser, born April 15, 1825, is a native of Germany. In April 1853 he came to the United States and still resides where he first located on section 3; he is the owner of 188 acres of land. Minnie Lukstad, who was also a native of Germany, became the wife of Mr. Mohrenwieser and has four children: August, Henry, Gustav and Elizabeth.

Elizer Stoemach was born July 26, 1844 in Dresden, Germany, and spent the first 21 years of his life in his native land, He first came to New York and thence to Minnesota in 1870, farming in section 16 of this township. Married Emma Truesser in 1871; no children.

Henry Theis is a native of Germany where he was born in the year 1824. He immigrated to the state of Illinois in 1844 and in 1855 removed to his home of 160 acres on section 6, Hendersgn. Mr. Theis was united in marriage with Catherine Schultz of Prussia. Henry, William and Edward are their children. Mrs Theis had two children by a former marriage: Louisa and Dora.

Mathias Theissen was born April 22, 1831 in Prussia. In 1853 he came to the United States and for some time was in the employ of different people; he now owns a farm of eighty acres on section 3, this town. In 1858 he married Margaret Pothen, a native of Prussia. They are the parents of eight children: Mary, Susan, Katie, Joseph, Henry, John, William and Helena.

John Theissen, born March 15, 1832, is a native of Prussia. Since coming to America in 1855 he has been engaged in farming his place of eighty acres on section 3, Henderson; for several years he has been a member of the town board. Mr. Theissen's wife was Gertrude Manderfeld, a German by birth. They are the parents of five children; Mary, John and Annie are living.

Friedrich Wegge, a native of Prussia, was born September 25, 1830, and since coming to America in 1858 has resided in this county. Mr. Wegge has a farm of eighty acres on section 15. In 1862 he enlisted in Company H, Seventh Minnesota infantry, and served until honorably discharged in 1865. His wife was Mary Wigand, of Germany. Emma, Selma and Sophia are their children.

Ferdinand Wigand was born February 16, 1833, in Prussia, and upon coming to the United States in 1846 located in Jefferson county, Wisconsin; in 1855 he emigrated to this state, and one year later to his home on section 7, where he has 160 acres of land. Mr. Wigand has been twice married; his first wife died in 1875, leaving six children: Elvina, Louisa, Emil, Charles. Amanda and Alma; his second wife, Tekla Pelz, has one child, Arthur.

Henry Wigand was born in 1834 in Prussia, and in 1846 came to the United States. He located in Wisconsin, but in J854 migrated to Minnesota, and since 1866 has lived at his present home on section 14. In 1865 he enlisted in the First Minnesota heavy artillery, and served eight months. Mr. Wigand married Elizabeth Wolltemann, of Dayton, Ohio. Edward, William, Henry, Benjamin, Ida and an infant are their children.

John Wiegand was born in Prussia, August 8, 1829. He immigrated to Jefferson county, Wisconsin, in 1846, and since coming here in 1853 he has been engaged in farming; owns 110 acres on section 14. Mr. Wiegand has served the town for several years in the capacity of chairman of the board. Clara Schmid, a native of Austria, became his wife, and has five children: Amos, Rosa, Sophia, Clara and Albert.

Theodor Wigand is a native of Germany, where he was born September 16, 1838, and in 1846 came to the United States. After a residence of seven years in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, he came in 1853 to his present home of 120 acres on section 14. He enlisted in 1865 in the First Minnesota heavy artillery, and served eight months. Married Amelia Bardon, whose native state was New York. William, Emil and Adeline are their children.

Nicholas Welter, born in 1825, is a native of Germany. In 1852 he came to America and first settled in Washington county, but since I860 has resided in the town of Henderson, where he owns 160 acres of land. His wife, Annie Neuns, was also a native of Germany; she has borne him twelve children: Henry. John, Mathew, Annie, Charles, Katie, Nicholas, Michael, Louis, Joseph, Anton and Maggie.

Joseph Witsoney, a native of Bohemia, was born July 9, 1854, and has been a resident of America since one year of age. He was united in marriage with Hannah Rettra. Their children are Mary Lawrence. Louisa, Teressa and Joseph. Mr. Witsoney's farm, consisting of eighty-six acres, is on section 21, Henderson. His father, Jacob Witsoney, was born in 1811 in Bohemia, and in 1854 emigrated to the United States.

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