MN AHGP Archives-Yellow Medicine Co. 1882 Bios
Yellow Medicine County biographies from the 1882 History of the Minnesota Valley, including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota
POSEN.
J. C. Christianson, native of Norway, was born in 1822, and in 1850 settled in Dane county, Wisconsin, and engaged in farming for fifteen years; removed to Iowa and farmed eight years; came to Minnesota in 1873 and bought 156 acres in Posen. Stena Toleff was his wife's name; married in 1849; of the twelve children born five are living: Gabriel T., Delia. Lena, Ella, Annie.
B. F. Curtiss was born in Yates county, New York, in 1843. At the age of fourteen he settled in Olmsted county, Minnesota. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company H, 6th Minnesota, and was discharged for disability in January, 1865. In 1871 he moved to Redwood county, and the next year came to Posen. January 22, 1867, he married Agnes McCorquodale, at Rochester; the children are: Alexander R., Samuel B., Arthur Garfield, Jennie M., Edith M., James A., John F., Harvey M.
Julius Frank was born in Posen, Germany, in 1849. In 1856 he came with parents to America, and lived in Wisconsin until 1870, then came to this town; has been supervisor three years and is now chairman. Married in 1873 Henrietta Stroscheim. Albert D., Agnes, John and Robert are their children.
R. Frank was born in Posen, Germany, March 19, 1847, and at the age of nine went with parents to Marquette county, Wisconsin; lived there ten years, and in Fond du Lac county four years. In 1870 he came to this town and made a claim. He was first town treasurer, and has held other offices. December 6, 1871, Augusta Steabner was married to him. Their living children are Emma R., Reuben D. and Amelia. Anna A. burned to death March 25, 1877. David Frank, father of Randolph, was born in Posen, Germany, in 1806. He brought his family to this town in 1870, and made the second actual settlement. He took a homestead of 160 acres, the farm now owned by his son-in-law, John Bahn. He was married in Germany in 1835 to Charlotte Klavetter. He died here July 10, 1874.
August Keger, native of Saxony, Prussia, was born August 6, 1834; he learned the blacksmith trade at eighteen years of age; he immigrated to Philadelphia, and worked there for twenty-five years. In 1877 he came to this town and took a homestead of 160 acres on section 34. In 1855 he married Catharine Frade; have six children living: Louisa, Christiana, Augusta, Charles, Katie, Frederick; four children have died.
A. Milbradt was born in Germany in 1828. He learned cabinet making and came to Wisconsin in May, 1867. Lived in Ripon eleven years, then moved to St. Charles, Minnesota. In 1871 he came to Posen and took a homestead; has been chairman of town board. He married Henrietta Stroschein January 17, 1858: children: Gustave, Herman, William and Frederick were born in Posen, Germany; August in Ripon, Wisconsin, Mary and Augusta, at St. Charles, and Charles in Posen, Minnesota.
Herman Milbradt, native of Germany, was born in Posen, December 1,1859. He has always lived with his parents and followed farming. He owns forty acres on section 10, Posen township.
Peter Palmer was born in New York, in 1812, and lived there until 1855, then moved to Minnesota and lived in Washington county until 1870; he then came to Posen, and lives on section 6. In 1841, he married Elizabeth House; eight of their eleven children are living: Melissa, Alexander, Albert, Edward, Daniel, Olive, James, William.
Peter Peterreins was born in Germany in 1819, and learned the trade of blacksmith. Came to America in 1849 and worked in Philadelphia until 1851, then came to Minnesota; worked at his trade in Minneiska two years and farmed eleven years in Wabasha county. In 1864 he moved to Brown county and lived in the towns of Milford and Home until 1877, then came to Posen. He married in 1849, in Germany, Augusta Kocher; they have nine children living; three are married; those at home are Mina, Peter, August, Charley, John and Josephine; three children died.
Ludwig Preus was born in Posen, Germany, in 1840. In 1872 he came to Owatonna, Minnesota, and worked at farming and railroad work until 1880, then purchased eighty acres in this town. Married in 1867, Caroline Luck. Augusta, Herman, Charles, Rudolph, Frederick, and Otto are the children.
Rev. J. C. Reynhout, native of Holland, was born July 31, 1835. Studied theology in Holland, and after traveling in different parts of the world and acting as missionary in South America, he came to the United States in 1869. In 1879 he went to New Ulm, Minn., and from there to Winnebago Agency; in 1881 he came to Posen. He has been married twice; his present wife was Ida Gesstman; one child, James.
August Stroscheim, native of Germany, was born in Posen, in 185*3. At seventeen years of age he came with parents to America, and after six months in Wisconsin, came to Minnesota, and worked in Dodge county. In 1872 he came to Posen with his parents, and in 1874 he took a claim on section 28. Married at Sleepy Eye, Amelia Peterreins, April 1,1877; Augusta, Amanda and Martha are the children.
Michael Stroscheim was born in Germany, in 1820, and learned the trade of carpenter. Came to America in 1868; lived in Wisconsin till spring of 1869, then went to Dodge county, Minnesota. In the fall of 1872 he came to Posen and took a homestead. Married in 1845, Karina Tirnm; four children living: Augusta, August, Henrietta and Theodore.
Gottlieb Timm, native of Germany, was born in 1826. Came to New York state in 1869 and lived near Syracuse; in 1876 he came to Posen, Minnesota, and made a homestead of 80 acres on section 28. Mary Grummins became his wife in 1855; they have four living children: Minnie, Gottlieb, Ferdinand, Matilda. August died in 1872, aged twelve years.
A. H. Yarns was born in Broome county, New York, in 1843. At the age of fourteen he came with parents to Minnesota and settled in Fillmore county. In 1861 enlisted and served till July, 1862. In 1866 he moved to Olmsted county and in 1869 returned to Fillmore county; June. 1873, he came to Posen. In 1867 he married Emma Clark. Children : William, Mary, Ernest, Alice and Ethel are living; Arthur died in Fillmore county.
BURTON
P. C. Bayard, native of Ohio, was born in 1855, and while a babe accompanied his parents to Orange county, New York: six years later removed to Winona county, Minnesota. After working two years in the machine shop at Rochester he came, in the spring of 1878 to Burton, where, in company with a brother he is farming and stock raising. Married August 30, 1880, Mertie Wells.
P. O. French was born in 1837 in Bennington New York. Received common school and academic education, also took a scientific course at Hillsdale college: after leaving school he engaged in teaching. Enlisted in 1864 in Company B, second New York mounted rifles; after the war he was employed in speculating. Married January 11, 1866, Mrs. Nancy Wood, who died December 12. 1868. One child, Willis. Mr. French was in grocery and commission business for some time in Chicago, also engaged in manufacturing and selling machinery. In 1870 he married Rhoda Gillett. Mr. French resided for a time in Austin and was mayor of that city; in October, 1877, he took a claim in Burton, and moved here the year following.
J. W. McAllester, who is a native of Wisconsin, was born in 1855, in Oshkosh, where he lived until twenty-three years of age. He received a common and high school education, also graduated from a business college at Oshkosh, in 1875; taught school for a time, was also engaged in selling tomb stones. In 1878 he came to Minnesota and located on section 24 of Burton. Married in 1877, Hattie Richards; one child, Bradley R.
H. B. Peterson was born in 1843 in La Moille, Illinois. From nine years of age till the year 1862 he was in Rockford, Illinois, then enlisted in Company M, eighth cavalry; participated in many battles and served till July, 1865. Married in 1869, Kittie Rice. Mr. Peterson was in Iowa from 1865 to 1870, also traveled through other western states: was for some time in the employ of P. O. French; since 1879 his home has been in Burton.
W. H. Richards, native of England, was born in 1849. He came to the United States in 1853, and locate at Fox Lake, Wisconsin; he was city marshal there, was engaged in the dairy and livery business; also had a meat market two and one-half years and was on a farm for a time. In 1878 he came to Burton and took a claim on section 34. Married April 21, 1872, Ida Walker; the children's names are Herbert J., Willie V. and Leon A.
Jerome B. Rogers, born in Oneida county, New York, in 1833, removed in 1844 to Wisconsin; after passing three years in Milwaukee he went to Winnebago county; he embarked in the lumber business, and was working in the pineries until 1862, when he visited California and Oregon, but returned to Oshkosh and soon after came to Minnesota. He was farming at Austin fourteen years but in 1881 located in Burton. Married in 1857, Adelia Wilkins, who died April 12, 1859; one child: William. In 1860 he married Lucretia Hall; children are Wallace, Nellie, May and Lila.
P. G. Wells was born March 16, 1821, in Rutland county, Vermont. In 1854 he moved to Du Page county, Illinois, and two years later to Howard county, Iowa, thence in 1860 to Winnebago county, and in 1878 to Burton. His home of 160 acres is on section 6. Married in September, 1852, Charlotte Bucklin: their children are Frank P., Mary E., Mertie O., George J. and Bertie.
Professor Frank Wells, son of P. G. Wells, is a native of Rutland county, Vermont, and was born about fifteen miles from his father's birthplace, and they came to Minnesota the same year. Mr. Wells has been employed in teaching and farming since completing his studies.
OSHKOSH.
Ira J. Beals was born in Massachusetts, March 25, 1829. He removed with his parents to Lewis county, New York, and in 1855 went to Winnebago county, Wisconsin. In September, 1862, he enlisted in Company I, 21st Wisconsin infantry; and was with General Sherman and served until the close of the war. In 1878 he came to Minnesota, and to Oshkosh township. January 15, 1857, he married Miss M. Chase; Elmer E. and Edward C. are their children.
L. S. Chass was born in Woodstock, Oxford county, Maine, May 16, 1840. At the age of fourteen his parents removed to Wisconsin. After receiving his education, he taught school for fifteen years. February 22, 1865, he enlisted in Company C, 46th Wisconsin infantry; in 1875 and 1876 he served in the lower house of the Wisconsin legislature. In 1878 he came to the town of Oshkosh; he has been chairman of the town board since organization. December 18, 1866, he married Eliza J. North; their children are: Maud E., and Lee E.
C. A. Dano was born April 25, 1854, in Janesville, Wisconsin. His parents moved to Sauk county and to Baraboo. At the age of sixteen he began clerking for Huntington & Stanley, and when twenty-one began the clothing business for himself. In 1879 he came to this town. Married February 16,1874, Jennie A. Ambler; of the three children born, Inez B., and Jennie I. are living.
George Y. King, born September 25, 1831, in New Sharon, Maine. At the age of fifteen he went to sea in the merchant service, and afterward joined the U. S. marine service; he went on the Japan expedition and witnessed the signing of the treaty. In 1857 he settled in Wisconsin, and in 1879 came to Oshkosh. He has a farm of 160 acres; he is a Baptist preacher, and delivered the first sermon in the town. In 1862 he married Phoebe Pratt; they have one son, Fred Y.
John F. Kuni was born in Switzerland in 1835. In 1843 he emigrated to Wood county, Ohio, and in 1849 came to Minnesota; lived in Winona county until 1879 and then came to this town. In August, 1864, he enlisted in Company K. llth Minnesota. Was married May 1, 1868, to Alice D. Welch; Cora, Belle, Frederick, Lettie, Merton, Wildred and Hattie, are their children.
Halvor Landsverk, native of Norway, was born February 9, 1846. In 1871 he settled in Dane county, Wisconsin, and in 1877 came to the town of Oshkosh. He was the first settler in the town, and located on section 32. Married in 1866, Lena M. Landsverk; have had nine children, seven are living; Teresa, Lena, Annie, Christina, Christ, Ole, and Hilbertina.
C. G. Nelson, born April 27, 1847 is a native of Sweden. In 1868 he came to the town of Faxon, Sibley county, and in 1878 to his present home in Oshkosh; has held town offices in this and Sibley counties. In 1875 he married Christina Johnson; Emma J., Hilda M., Edward J., and an infant, are their children.
Mons Swenson was born in Sweden in 1827. He came to Carver county, Minnesota, in 1856 and farmed there until 1878, when he sold his farm for $3,500 and came to this town. In 1853 he married in Sweden, Elizabeth Sweltson; she died in Carver county; in 1870 he married Eva Andriotta; his children are: Emma M., Edwin, John A., Julia A., Carl Voss,
Carl Voss, native of Germany, was born in 1833. He was raised on a farm and in 1861 came to this country; he lived in Illinois until 1863, then enlisted in Company C, 141st Illinois infantry; after five months service was honorably discharged. He worked at mason work in Cook county, Illinois nine years and in 1872 came to Minnesota; lived in Scott county until 1878, then came to Oshkosh. He married Henrietta Kiarn in 1864; Minnie, John, August, Annie and Mary are the living children; two have died.
TYRO
John B. Brown was born in Yorkshire, England, December 20, 1818. He learned the trade of silk weaver and in 1855 came to this country and lived in Wisconsin until 1878, when he came to this town. In 1833 he married Harriet Speight and has ten children; his two eldest sons served in the war of the rebellion.
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