"History of Cottonwood and Watonwan Counties of Minnesota, 1916"



Comparatively few of the men of Watonwan county who are today active in business, agricultural or professional life here, are natives of this locality. One of the native-born sons who has been prudent in remaining in his native county is Felix Frederick Uhlhom, merchant of St. James.

He was born in Adrian township, Watonwan county, May 28, 1872, and is a son of Frederick William and Caroline (Brunder) Uhlhorn, both natives of Alsace-Lorraine, formerly a province of France, and there they spent their earlier years, emigrating to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1868, then moved to Beaver Dam, that state, where they spent one year, then came to Adrian township, Watonwan county, Minnesota, May 5, 1872, and bought a soldier's claim of one hundred and sixty acres. Mr. Uhlhorn prospered and added to his holdings until he owned eight hundred acres of valuable land in Watonwan and Brown counties, and he carried on general farming and stock raising on an enormous scale. Politically, he was a Republican, and he belonged to the German Lutheran church, of which he was one of the founders. He was a local preacher and often filled the pulpit of his church, also conducted many funerals. He was also interested in school work. He was clerk of Adrian township for about eighteen years and was a member of the school board for a number of years, also filled the office of county commissioner for several years, and for eight years was judge of the probate court of Watonwan county, finally resigning the office. As a public servant he discharged his duties most ably and faithfully and was one of the most influential and popular men in the county during his day. He spent the last years of his life in retirement, dying on September 21, 1900, at the age of sixty-five years. His widow is still living, at the age of seventy-nine years. She was born on September 30, 1837. The father of the subject of this sketch was born on March 24, 1835. To these parents the following children were born: Herman Henry, August Albert, Fannie, Emil Ernest, Felix Frederick, Oscar Otto, Bertha Mary. They are all living at this writing.

Felix F. Uhlhorn grew to manhood on the old homestead, where he worked when a boy, and he received his education in the local public schools. He remained on the farm until he was twenty-six years old, when he carne into possession of two hundred and eighty acres of the homestead, which he conducted about six years. In 1904 he came to St. James, where he held various positions until 1913, when he engaged in the hardware business under the firm name of Meyer & Uhlhorn, building up a large business. On March 4, 1916, the firm was incorporated under the name of The City Mercantile Company, with Mr. Uhlhorn as secretary and vice-president. A large stock of general hardware and implements is carried and the business is rapidly growing. Mr. Uhlhorn still owns his valuable and well-improved farm of two hundred and eighty acres, also valuable property in St. James. Mr. Uhlhorn was married on June 22, 1898, to Emma Henrietta Kruger, of Brown county, Minnesota, and to their union four children have been born, namely: Anna Clara Bertha, Bertha Anna Minnie, Arthur Frederick is deceased, and Gertrude Christine.

Politically, Mr. Uhlhorn is a Republican. He has been a member of the school board of the German school for six years. He belongs to the German Lutheran church.

Return to Watonwan Co. AHGP

� 2005 Watonwan County Minnesota AHGP