Bicentennial history of Polk County, Minnesota

Fairfax Township
"A special meeting held at Crookston, Polk County, Minnesota the 7th day of October 1879. The fo llowing members of
the county Board was present: E. C. D avis a nd E. Tharaldson.
The meeting declared open. On motion, Town 149 Range 46
were organized according to the petition fro m the people from
that town and it to be known as T ow n of Fairfax. The fir st
election to be held at the house of Jo hn Amundson in said
town, and the Judges of said election to be Jo hn Sylvesterson
and Hans Clauson and Nels Knud son and the clerks for sa me
to be Erick Benson a nd John Amundson. Resolved to issue the
amt of $1300.00 Dollars Co. orders as a part pay to the gentlemen, Mr. etzer who built the county J ai l and the sa me time
they agreed with Mr. Netzer to give him $320.00 Dollars for
laying one floor in the upper sto ry of said Ja il also for two
coats of plastering of same and for painting the Jail in and outside.
First school District # 35, section 2 was o rga nized May 28,
1880. Second sc hool district # 123, section 19 in Fairfax was
organized July 5. 1887." (sic)
JOHN BAATZ
Fred Baatz was born in Land sc hied. Lu xemb urg, 1854. At
the age of sixteen he came to W abasha. Minnesota. [n a short
time two brothers and two sisters came. Jo hn, M at thew and
Mary took home s teads in Ru ssia a nd Fairfax town s hip s.
Kathryn beca me a Benedictine nun at St. Scholastica's in
Duluth. She rem ai ned there the rest of her life. Fred and
Emma Schwirtz were married in W abas ha in 1880, and came
immediately to start their adventurous life on the homestead
which is now section four , Russi a T ow nship in 1881. Those
first years were hard . Winters were seve re an d lo ng. Water had
to be hauled four miles from O. Simmons, an earlier homesteader, and woo d had to be brought fr o m Maple Lake or from
along the Red River. Fred served as clerk of sc hool district 278
and Russia tow nship. and as chairman fo r many years. [n the
course of time five children were born to them : Rose, Mary,
John , Anna and Frank. They walked over two miles to sc hool
district 35. Rose never married. Mary ma rried M a rk Ma larkey
and had one son, Charles. John married Edna Kuhn . Anna
never married , a nd Frank died in 1913 . The family attended
the Catholic Church in Crookston , a distance of ten miles. In
summer they went with horses and buggy . In winter they traveled with horses a nd sled. Sometimes members of the fa mily
walked. John attended the Agricultural School in Crookston.
He farmed with his fa ther until he m a rried in 1926. At that
time he built a new home on the former ho mestead of his
Uncle Matthew. He continued to live here until his death in
1968 . We were on a winter trip in Texas a t the time. Traveling
to see God's beautiful country was o ne of his g reat enjoyments. He. the children and I managed to take a trip every
year, including an unforgettable o ne to Alaska in 1955. We
had six children. All attended county sc hool district 278 where
I had previously taught and later was school clerk for many
years. Rosem a ry graduated from M o unt St. Benedict High
School, Crookston, College of St. Sch o lastica receiving a B.A.
in Music Theory. She received a maste r's degree in library science from Core Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
She now heads the Health Care Library for 3M in St. Pa ul.
John graduated from Cathedral High SchooL Crookston and
served in the National Guard a nd in Ko rea in 1952. He married Joyce Campbell. They have three so ns: Steve, David and
James and live in Council Bluffs, Iowa . J ohn is a n electrician.
Dorothy graduated from Cathedral High School a nd Teachers
Training Department in East Gra nd Forks. She ta ught school
several years and is married to M a rvin Michaelson who farms
near Euclid . They have a daughter, Carol. a nd a so n, John.
Gerald graduated from Cathedral High School a nd was in the
National Guard for seven yea rs. He married Cecilia Schirrick,
who received an R.N. degree from th e Sister of St. Josep h
School of Nursing. Grand Forks, North Dakota. They now
248
Fred and Emma Baatz 1880.
live with their fo ur children: Scott. Perry. Brenda a nd Jill , in
their new ho me in Ru ssia Township, where they farm. Do na ld
gradua ted fro m Cathedral High School and Bemidji Sta te University. He served two years in the Army. He married Sandra
Johnson, a gradua te of J a mestown Co llege. James town. North
Dako ta a nd is a social worker. They live in Fergus Fa ll s with
their two so ns. Andrew and Cha rles. There Donald ow ns an
in sura nce age nc y. R obe rt graduated from Cathed ral Hi gh
School , St. Jo hn's University. Collegevi lle, Minnesota a nd the
University of Washington. Seattle. with a master's degree in
social work. H e was a captain in the Army and served in Vietnam . He now lives in Duluth where he is a social worker for St.
Louis County working in child abuse.
My Kuhn ancesto rs came from Wurtemberg, Germany. In
1760. Peter Kuhn came to America in a sa iling craft. In 1768,
he married and in 1771 homesteaded near Guencastle, in
Franklin County. Penn sy lva ni a. He erected a log cabin their home. which stood there until 1952 when it wa s razed and
a monument repl aced it.
My grandfa ther Jo hn W. Kuhn (t hird generatio n) was a
school teacher a nd Franklin county surveyo r. He lived near
here . This is where Michae l Kuhn . my father, was bo rn . My
mo ther was Emma Musselman. They farmed a sho rt distance
from the o ld Pela Kuhn homestead. H ere is where my sisters.
Barbara. M a ry an d [ were born. [n 19 13, my parents decided
to come to Minnesota . We came by train to Euclid, having
bought a farm east of there . Barbara and [ attended school district 179. Katherine Kin g was our teacher. She is now Mrs.
Fred Abrecht. I will never forget the fight a sc hool mate a nd [
had over the wo rd s " You-un s" (Pennsylvania Dutch), "Youse"
(Her French). Later we moved to a fa rm near Dorothy a nd
finally south of Crookston where J ohn , Helen , Jea n a nd D orothy Mae were bo rn . John and D oro th y Mae died as babies. W e
five girls are graduates of Central High SchooL Crookston. [
taught in Polk County school for severa l years. Ba rbara is an
R.N. She married Edwin Culbert. a school principal. They li ve
in Minneapolis. Mary married Carl H anson. a rai lroad man
who passed away in 1972. She lives in Crookston. Helen married Ra lph Weiland . They live near Euclid. Jean works a t Marquette Ban k, Minneapolis. Our mother di.:d in 1938. Our dad
later married Wilma Thompson. They had a son , Lyle, who
with his fami ly lives in Ru sh City. Minnesota. Our father.
Michae l Kuhn. died in 1966.
LEODORE JOSEPH CAPISTRAN
The parents o f Leodore J . Capistran were born in Ca nada.
His father. Oneseme. was born in Sorel. Quebec. Ca nada. in
1837. and died here in 1913 . His mother. Philo men e Paul Capistra n. was bo rn in 1838 a nd died he re in 1908. Leod ore J. Capistra n was bo rn in D e Piersvill e. St. Thomas. Quebec. Ca nada.
in 1876. He came to th e U nit ed States with hi s parents when he
was a little boy. a nd th ey came to Crookston. Minn eso ta about
the 1880's.
His pa rent s bought a fa rm no rthwes t o f C roo ksto n. where
he a nd his six brothers a nd o ne sister grew up. His brothers
were: Alcide. Z o tiqu e. J osep h. On ese me. Albany a nd Arthur:
and his sister. Exilda. This fa rm was bought by C ha rle s Kiewe l
and later known as th e "Kiewel farm".
In 1903. my fa ther met a nd mar ried my mo th er. Mi ss M a ri e
Anna Samuelso n. who was bo rn in Norr Ko pin g. Swede n. in
1884. She came to th e United States fr o m Sweden with he r
Uncle and Aunt. Mr. a nd Mrs. Er ick Samuelson in the early
1900's. The Sa muelsons li ved o n a farm a bo ut five miles wes t
of Crookston. where Mr. a nd Mrs. Du a ne Lien li ve now.
After they were ma rried. Mr. an d Mrs. Capistran first li ved
on the Delmonte Lariviere fa rm . th en th ey moved to th e Taylor farm right west o f the U niversity of Minneso ta Technical
College. Fro m th ere th ey moved to their fa rm three miles sou th
of Crooksto n. the old Roberts fa rm which they bo ught in 19 14.
Mr. and Mrs. Way ne Bo uch er bo ught te n acres a nd the ho use
where they ma ke th ei r home now. but th e fa mily still ow n the
la nd.
Mr. and Mrs. Capistran li ved o n thi s fa rm . a nd fa rmed a nd
raised th o ro ughbred Perch eron horses a nd a lso race horses.
He was a n avid horse ma n : he too k grea t pride in showin g
these ho rses a t the fa irs a ro und thi s a rea. as well as th o ro ughbred ca ttle a nd pigs which he showed a t th e fa irs a nd at the
Farm Crop Sh ows in the early days.
Leodore Capistran 1903.
Mrs. Leodore Capistran 1903.
Their five children a ll grew up on thi s fa rm . a tte nded th e
country school o ne mile fr o m th eir ho me called th e "S ta r
School 246." The Capistra n s li ved here until th ey p assed away.
Mr. Capistran in 1956 and Mrs. Capis tra n in 1965. The ir children were Lee O. Capistrano bo rn in 1904; Fern R . M . Capistran Fries F enno. 1909: Ire ne Capistran Case. 19 11 : M a uri ce.
1912 : Arthur Capistran: Law rence F. Capistrano 1922.
Lee Capistran ma rri ed Ba rb a ra Hilde in 1932. the daughter
of the la te Mr. a nd Mrs. Lou is Hilde o f C rooks to n a nd Grand
Forks. N o rth Da kota. They have two sons: Donald a nd Gary.
both graduated fro m the Ce ntra l Hi gh School. Bo th are ma rried and live in Ca lifo rni a .
Fern Capistran ma rried J ose ph G . Fries in 1928. Irene Capistra n ma rried H a ro ld Case in 1944. They li ved in Intern a tional Fall s. She moved to C rook sto n in 1972. She is a wid ow.
and has no children. M a urice Ca pistra n died in 1932.
Lawrence Capistran gradu a ted fr o m Ca thedra l Hi gh School
and served in the United Sta te s Air Fo rce durin g W o rld W a r
II. He ma rri ed Virginia Vi ow in 1942. Virginia is the daughter
of th e la te Lo ui s Viow a nd Mrs. Arthur Frish of McIntos h.
Minnesota. Virgini a grad uated from the St. J osep h Acad emy.
Crookston. Minnesota. She is married a nd they li ve in M ontgomery. Al a ba ma. They have o ne so n. D a ll as. bo rn Dece mbe r
31. 1949. D a ll as is stud yi ng to be a c hirop rac ti c doctor. Law renc e is a sa les ma n for th e Williams Shoe Co mpany.
COURNIA
In the early 1900's J o hn B. and Ester (Bebeau 1861 -1 941)
Cournia mi gra ted to th e rura l Crooksto n a rea fro m Wi sco nsin .
John (1858-1931) was bo rn in T weed . Onta ri o. Seve ra l o f
John 's brothers se ttled in the vicinity o f Detro it Lakes. J o hn
and Ester's fa mil y consisted o f M a bel ( 1888 -19 57). L o ui s
(1890-1967). Pe te r ( 1892 -1942 ). Pea rl ( 1894-1 93 0) . R o la nd
(1897-). Irene ( 1899-). M a rj orie (190 1-) a nd G e rtrud e ( 19061969). As the fa mil y grew up M a bel became Mrs. George
Revor a nd se ttl ed in Chippewa Falls. Wisco nsin. Th ey ha d fiv e
children . o ne o f whom is a world renowned a rti st - Si ster
Rem y. S.S.N .D. o f Milwa uk ee. Pe ter ma rri ed J essied Bi sho p
and lived in Milwa uk ee. He ha d o ne d a ughter. Pea rl beca me
Mrs. J o hn Mulva ney a nd for seve ra l yea rs th ey ma d e th e ir
home at 236 Seco nd Aven ue No rth in Crookston with J o hn 's
mo th e r. Mrs. Anna Mulva ney. They moved to Sheboyga n.
Wisco nsin where Pea rl passed a way a t a n early age sho rtly
a fter givin g birth to their fifth child. Ro land ma rried J osie
Gree n a nd a fter a few yea rs th ey left Crooksto n to ma ke their
hom e in Sh eboygan. a nd la ter Milwa ukee. They ha d three children . Irene married M a lt Ka uth o f Ha me l. Minneso ta and
later moved to th e sta te o f W as hin gto n. After th e dea th o f her
husb a nd in 1943. she moved to California. They h ad no children .
Family of John B. and Esther Cournia: Back row, L. to R.: Peter,
Mabel, Louis and Pearl. Front row, L. 10 R. : Irene, 10hn B. Marjorie,
Gertrude, Esther and Roland.
M a rjorie became Mrs. Earl McGuire a nd settl ed in Minneapolis until their famil y o f e leven children we re ra ised. They
a nd Irene now live in Flint. Michi ga n. Gertrude e ntered th e
convent at a n early age a nd a ft er severa l yea rs as a teac hin g
Sister of Sa int Ben edict was la ici zed a nd late r ma rried M erlin
Hamilton a nd li ved in Ha wa ii a nd Ca lifornia. Of a ll thi s fa mily LO U IS OLIVER was th e on ly o ne to ma ke C roo ksto n his
perm a nent address. His parents moved to South Sai nt Pa ul to
spend their retirement yea rs.
Lo ui s Oliver. wh o was bo rn in Turtle La ke. Wisco nsin. married Ann E. Mul va ney ( 1895-1946) in 191 5. a nd they fa rmed
south of Crookston a ll their li ves while ra ising a la rge fa mil y
and wit h b o th o f th em serving as ac tive leade rs in the FairfaxAnd over community. Lo ui s was a member o f the District 288
School Boa rd fo r many yea rs a nd a member o f the executive
board of th e Cathedra l of th e Immac ul a te Conception, th e
church where he was ma rried a nd a ll o f hi s children were baptized a nd confirmed. When the Ca thedra l was rem odeled .
Loui s d o nated th e bapti sma l fo unt in appreciat io n, confident
it wo uld be used fo r many years to come fo r his grandchildren
a nd great- gra ndchildren. M r. a nd Mrs. Co urni a were in strumental in o rga ni zin g th e very well kn ow n Kittson 4-H Club
a nd se rved as adu lt lea ders during th e tim e all their chi ldren
249
were members. They also helped start the Kittson Community
Club and were members of the Fa irfax-Andover Club.
Louis and Ann were the parents of eleven children. LeRoy
(1916-1956) mamed Eleanore Fontaine and with the help of
his father started farming in Fairfax township. One of their
most appreciated wedding gifts was a pig about to farrow.
LeRoy's widow still resides on their farm now as Mrs. Lee
Wahouske. LeRoy and Eleanore had six children. Carolyn
(Mrs. Wilson of San Diego) is the mother of two children ;
Janet With her husband, Brad Dybevik , and two children live
in Worthington where they manage a 'ladies ready to wear'
shop; Ronald married Jeanne Hoeft of Crookston and with
their two adopted children they live in Saint Louis Park where
he is associated with Home Lite Company; Diane and her husband, Ray Riendeau,. and three daughters live in Portland,
Indiana where they are engaged in the mobile home industry ;
Michaelis mamed to Barbara Dyk and at present is living in
Spokane, Washmgton ; John is in Minneapolis. LeRoy was an
unusually active community leader and at the time of his death
was serving as a state officer of the Knights of Columbus . He
instrumental in organizing K of C councils in Park RapIds, Barnesville and Argyle. He also held high offices in the
local Elks Club and Community Club.
Esther (1917-) married Bernard Palubicki in 1941 and they
operated a supermarket in Perham, Minnesota until recently
when their older son, Richard, and his wife Karen (Mislevic)
took It over. Another son, James, and his wife, Nina (Barner)
are owner-managers of a supermarket in Fosston. Their only
daughter, Ann Marie and her husband, William Hughes, are in
the. ready-to-wear business in Perham. Esther taught school in
Fairfax township before going to Perham as Otter Tail Company Club Agent. She kept in touch with the Crookston vicinity in her. position as a state officer of the Catholic Daughters
of America. She helped organize courts in Crookston, Red
Lake Falls, Thief River Falls and Argyle-Warren.
Delmont (1919-) is married to Lorraine Chappius and is a
.farmer in Fairfax township. His only son, Robert,
and Wife Lmda (Morrissey) and two children reside in Crookston and also farm south of the city. Daughter, Barbara, lives
at home and is employed at the University of Minnesota Technical College.
Lauretta (1920-) married H. T. "Doc" Welter in 1941 and
they have been permanent residents of Crookston. After many
years in plumbing and heating, "Doc" became Crookston's
fire chief and has spearheaded the modernization of the local
fire department to one of the most efficient in the state. Lauretta was the first regent of the local Catholic Daughters Court
and is now serving as district deputy for the courts in this area.
She is best known for her compassionate care of the old and
Sick. Doc and Lauretta have three children ; Mona with her
husband, Ronald Heglin, and two children make their home in
Yankton, South Dakota where Ronald is assistant manager of
Dale Electronics; Jerome and his wife LaVonne (Thein) and
three children live in Red Lake Falls where he is a lineman
with Otter Tail Power; Joyce and her husband, Peter Habben
and daughter live in East Grand Forks where Pete is associated with the United Hospital as a boiler engineer and Joyce is
with the Christi telephone company.
Madonna (1922-) and her husband, A. C. Moran and four
children, Carroll, Gary, LaVonne and Joe, now in Santa
Ana, California after a long career in the United States
Marines.
Margaret .( 1923-) a former teacher in Fairfax township
moved to Milwaukee and married Melvin Podevils in 1946.
They still reside there near their five children, Monty, Margaret, Mark, Mary Lou and Michael.
. Elizabeth "Betty" (1925-) and husband , Arthur Pretory, and
SIX children, Lmda, Kenneth, Michael, Greg, James and John
live in Glendora, California where Betty is known as the fastest and most efficient grocery 'checker' in Los Angeles county
while her husband has his own catering route.
Rose Marie married Mar.vin Torgerson, formerly of
BeltramI. Th.ey With their five children, Corrinne, Annette,
Morley, DaVid and Maureen, live in Racine, Wisconsin . Marvin "Torgy" is with Young Radiator Company.
Anna Mae (1930-) is married to John Sullivan , formerly of
250
The Louis Oliver Cournia Family: Top row, L to R. : LeRoy, Loretta,
Esther, Delmont. 2nd roK': Margaret, Madonna, Betty, and Rosemarie.
Bottom row: Louis Jr., Louis Sr., Vonnie, Ann and Anna Mae.
Fisher, and with their family, Kathleen, John , Jeffery, James
and Patricia, they reside in Ankeny, Iowa, where both are
employed by implement companies.
Louis Junior (1932-) and his wife, Nancy (Hovland), are
farming the original family farm. Until his father's death, they
farmed on shares and then he purchased the farm six miles
south of Crookston and has since built a new home and made
many other improvements. All but two of their nine children
live in the Crookston vicinity. Son, Louis III is in the military
service as IS their daughter Jeanne's husband, Richard Rock.
Debra, Mrs. Lynn Hanson, lives in Crookston and the rest :
Daniel, Mary Jo, Thomas, Susan, Nancy Kay and Patrick
headquarter at home. Louis Jr. has been an active "J.e." is
community leader and is involved in other business enterprises
besides farming.
LaVonne (1937-) is married to Allen Hoeft of Crookston
and they with their four children , Pearl , Bill, Roger and
Teresa, live in Moorhead where they are both employed at a
trucking firm.
All eleven of the Cournia children are graduates of either
Cathedral or Mount Saint Benedict high schools, and most of
them at a .time when they had to provide their own transportation. LOUIS SenIor clocked up many miles to assure his family
getting a high school education.
Ann E. Cournia passed away in 1946 at the age of 51, and
three years later Louis Senior married Jennie Conneran Sullivan . Their farm home was the hospitable gathering spot for
many memorable family reunions of the Sullivan and Cournia
children until the death of Jennie in 1956. Louis Senior passed
away after a series of heart attacks in June 1967 leaving 52
At present seventeen of his grandchildren live
m Polk and surrounding counties.
WILLIAM HOERNER
. William Hoe:ner's grandparents were from Germany. Wilham was born m Dunn County, North Dakota. William has
two brothers and one sister. His father died when he was six
years old. Then the family moved to Glen Ullen North
Dakota. William went to work at an early age on different
farms. When he came to Crookston, he went to work on the
John Perry farm. Later he went to work on the Vereal Gibbons
farm. William enlisted in the United States Navy in 1942, serving in the Pacific Theater, on a destroyer for forty-two months.
Dunng the war, on May 20, 1944, at Va\lago, California, he
mamed Norma F. Morgan of Crookston, Minnesota .
Norma was born in Crookston, Minnesota to Walter and
Irene Morgan. Walter farmed most of his life in Andover
Township. Irene was the former Irene Slyter. Her parents
came from Iowa to settle on the farm now being farmed by
Vernon Welter. In Walter and Irene's family there were three
girls and one boy. Walter Morgan's parents were Welsh and
Swede and Irene's parents were Irish, Hollander and Indian.
Norma attended the North West School of Agriculture from
which she graduated in 1938. She then went to work for a
defense plant. After William's discharge they moved to a farm
where they farmed with Norma's father. In 1953 they bought
the Woods farm in Fairfax township. They are still living on
the farm at the present. They raise wheat, barley and sugar
beets. William and Norma have five children, Marilyn graduated from Crookston Central. She married Gary Sauve of
Crookston. They now live in Fargo, North Dakota. They have
two boys, Shawn and Joel Sa uve. Robert graduated from the
North West School of Agriculture. He also served in the
United States Navy for four years. He married the former
Nancy Miller, whose parents reside in Crookston. Robert
farms with his father. He lives on the former Weber farm in
Russia township. Robert and Nancy have two children, Tara
and Brett Hoerner. Connie graduated from Crookston Central. She also graduated from Garden City Community Junior
College in Kansas. She is employed and resides in Crookston.
Jacalyn graduated from Crookston Central and is now attending Bemidji State University. Gary is attending Crookston
Central and is living at home. William and Norma are members of the Presbyterian Church, where Bill served as elder. Bill
was township assessor and director of Vineland Insurance
Board. All of the Hoerner children have been in 4-Corners 4-H
Club.
LYLEKIEL
Five miles south of Crookston, along Burnha m Creek is our
home. We combined our names and call it Lyleen (Lyle and
Eileen) Acres. We have lived here since our marriage in 1941.
We have five daughters and one son and two grandsons.
Carla (Mrs. Larry Hurlbut) is married to an architect and lives
in Eden Prairie. Barbara (Mrs. Gary Monson) is married to a
high school social studies teacher and coach. They are the parents of two children, Michael, age eight and Christopher, age
four. Nancy (Mrs. Stuart Subke) resides in Burlington, Vermont, where Stuart is employed by the Immigration Department and Nancy teaches English classes. Julie resides in St.
Cloud where she works and attends St. Cloud State. Melodie is
in the junior class at Crookston Central High School. Our son,
Lonn, is associated with us in farming and takes classes during
the winter at University of Minnesota, Crookston.
My parents, August and Lydia (Beiswenger) Ross, of German heritage, were born and farmed in the Fisher area their
entire life. One of my sisters, Enid, lives in Fisher and another,
Victoria, Mrs. Ferd Wilkins, farms with her husband east of
Fisher. My remaining four sisters are Mrs. Lorraine Graves of
Pasco, Washington ; Mrs. Roy Tulee of Oxnard, California;
Mrs. Ralph Greinke of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Carol
Ross of East Grand Forks. My brother, Harold H. Ross,
resides in Crookston and farms in the area. Another brother,
Emil, died when he was a teenager.
Lyle's parents, Albert and Esther (Holkesvig) Kiel were
born at Calmer, Iowa. They are of Norwegian heritage. They
moved to the Red River Valley in 1913 and the first years of
their marriage they farmed with Esther's parents, Albert and
Sophie (Dahlen) Holkesvig.
A touch of romance is found in the pages of Sophie Dahlen
Holkesvig's ancestors as we learned that her grandmother.
Gudrun Fjelde was lady-in-waiting to the Queen of Norway
and this is where she met her future husba nd, Hans Dahlen,
who was the King's tailor.
Albert Kiel's father, Ole Marcus Kjel, came to this country
in 1862. when he was four years old, on the ship his dad had
built. The name became changed from Kjel to Kiel through a
mistake in the immigration papers.
Lyle has three sisters, Leila, Mrs. Arnold Jorgenson, of Sun
Prairie, Wisconsin ; Connie, Mrs. Chester Swanson, of Cincinnati. Ohio ; and Naomi, Mrs. Robert Eisler, of Hopkins, Minnesota.
We are active in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod as
were my parents. Lyle's parents are still active in the church at
Bellair Beach. Florida, where they reside. We also belong to
and are active in various organizations and community projects.
ART AND HELEN LINDBERG
Art Lindberg was born at Windom , Minnesota, in Jackson
County, August 21 , 1896 to August and Bertha Lindberg.
August Lmdberg came from Norway in the 1800's. His mother
Bertha Emerson, also came from Norway and could not speak
EnglIsh .. August and Bertha were married in 1890, they had
eight children, five boys and three gi rls.
Katherine Jepsen was born April 6, 1907 at Wasco,
IllInOIs, to Louis and Anna Marie (Elneff) Jepsen , both from
Denmark. There were four brothers and three sisters in her
family. They moved to East Grand Forks, Minnesota in 1915.
Art and Helen were married December 9, 1926. We farmed
at Gilby, North Dakota for nine years. During that time, three
were born: Frances Jean, December 28, 1927 ; Doris Mae,
March 24, 1929 and Helen June, June 27, 1933. We farmed in
North Dakota 20 years, worked in the Swan Island Shipyards
World War II, went through the sugar, meat and gas
ratIOnIng, and operated a grocery store in Oregon to Fairfax
township, having purchased two acres of land from E. J.
Anderson. We are now enjoying our retirement in this rich
Red River Valley.
A line of cars belonging to the Lindberg family. (Model T's, Overland,
Chevrolets, all of the 1919-1920's.
DAVID E. AND DORIS MUIR
The Lyle Kiel Family: Top row: Carla, Julie, Lonn and Melodie.
Seated: Barbara, Eileen, Lyle and Nancy.
George S. Muir, born in West Caldor, Scotland in 1878,
going to On tario, Canada at the age of eleven. In 1900 he
moved to Gilby, North Dakota , married Mary Elizabeth
Douglas in 1904. They lived at Gilby all their lives. They had
eight children: Beth, Douglas, Carol, Alice, Clyde, Scott, Jim
and David . Carol died at the age of six in 1916; the rest all survive.
David, the youngest, married Doris M. Lindberg (daughter
of Art and Helen Lindberg) ; they were married April 22, 1951
at Gilby, North Dakota. At the time, David was serving in the
armed services. He was discharged in October, 1952, attended
Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis , returning to Grand
Forks, North Dakota, in April of 1954, where they lived until
1963. While living in Grand Forks, David worked as a body
repairman for the Chevrolet dealers.
They have two children, Michael David, born September 18,
1953. in Minneapolis ; and Catherine Elizabeth, born May 15,
1955 m Grand Forks, North Dakota. Michael married JDee
Black of Moorhead , Minnesota, in 1974. They have a son,
David Michael. born January 16. 1975. Michael is serving in
251
Mr. and Mrs.
David Muir.
the navy and stationed in Florida. Cathy was active in an
organization called the "Amigos" during her last year in high
school and first year at Concordia College. going to Guatemala and Colombia. administering shots to babies and small
children and assisting in health care programs.
David and Doris Muir moved to Polk County in September
of 1963. and although they are certainly not pioneers. they feel
much a part of the community. They purchased three acres of
land from E. J. Anderson. in Section 7 of Fairfax township.
The first few months were spent tearing down the house that
stood there. Stories were told to them about how Jesse James
had stopped and eaten meals in that house in years gone by.
Since they didn't have the necessary cash to rebuild. and
didn't care to go into debt. with the old pioneer spirit. they
decided to do everything themselves on a pay-as-you-go plan.
With the help of their good neighbors. Ed and Everett Anderson and their ·cat'. they dug the hole for the basement. then
finished it for temporary living quarters. "Temporary" turned
out to be nine years of spending their weekends and two-week
vacations building their home. But in the fall of 1973. with a
sigh of relief they moved into the finished home. They are sure
even our pioneers didn't work that long on a house. They did
manage to put up a three-stall garage in that time also.
Members of the Presbyterian Church. Dave presently IS
active on the Board of Deacons. and Doris is employed as secretary. Both are active in the Crookston Square Dance club.
Dave worked for the Chevrolet dealers until June of 1972.
when he began working for the Vocational Center of Central
High. helping to organize the new au to body class offered to
junior and senior high students. one of the first of its kind in
Minnesota. Not having a teaching degree. Dave spent the next
three years. evenings and summers. attending classes at ThIef
River Falls. Red Lake Falls. Crookston. and Bemidji State
College. graduating in 1975. Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree.
SMITH - MUSSELMAN
Among immigrants coming from England in the early 1700's
were the ancestors of Robert E. Smith. He was born in Massachusetts. At age twenty. he went to work for a cousin in Ohio
and a couple of years later he boarded a train in Chicago for
Crookston. Friends. Fiske by name. lived on section 14 in
Andover township. and he worked there that summer. In the
fall he went to work for E. D. Childs in Carmen.
A house-maid at the Childs' home was Lizzie Roese, who
had recently come from Wisconsin with the Dave McCleary
family. She was of German descent. her father was a Baptist
colporteur. He was born in Wohra and had fought in the Crimean War.
Robert Smith and Lizzie Roese were married in 1883. Robert bought a quarter of land in section 19 in Fairfax township
and they built a house. Their three children were Louise, Roy
and G. Raymond. Roy was accidentally killed when he was
two. The Great Northern Railway tracks passed through the
farm. not far from the home. Many hoboes stopped by for
hand-outs. Louise and Roy saw one coming as they played in a
buggy. Louise ran to warn her mother. but Roy's foot slipped
and his neck was broken as he fell between the spokes. For
over twenty years. the grief-stricken hobo stopped by at the
Smith home as he tramped the track s.
252
Willie Lemen. a twelve year old orphan boy came to live
with the Smiths in 1893. where he grew to manhood. He
became a railroad conductor.
The children wen t to school in District 123. which was
organized in 1887. Robert Smith hauled lumber from Maple
Bay to build it. He served on the school board many years. as
well as the town board. Raymond became a manual training
teacher: he served in the armed forces in World War I in
France. He was principal of Glen Lake Farm School for Boys
in Hopkins. Minnesota for 27 years . After retirement he lived
in Seattle. Washington until his death in 1960. and there he is
buried. Louise married Charles F. Musselman.
Lizzie Smith died in 1934. Robert in 1948: both are buried in
Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston.
The ancestors of Charles Musselman came to Pennsylvania
in the early 1700's. They were Mennonites and settled in Lancaster County with five hundred other families. Some served in
the Colonial Wars. though they were mostly pacifists. giving
aid in other ways. John and Anna moved to Iowa. where
Charles and Frank were born. In 1903 the family came to
Crookston and farmed on section 26 in Andover. Charles married Louise Smith in 1907. and later the elder Musselmans
moved to Wyoming.
Charles and Louise lived in Crookston . where he worked in
the Slocum Grocery Store. Mariam was born at Crookston.
About 1910 they moved to the Smith farm and he became
partner with Robert E. Smith. Louise's father. Other children
were: J. Robert. Donald and Eugene.
They raised swine. dairy cattle and sheep. Small grains. corn
and alfalfa were the principal crops. A large chicken house was
built in 1916. An Allwork Tractor was the first evidence of
mechanized farming. They owned a Model T Ford. They did
their own blacksmithing and fence-making. Their house was
one of the first with indoor plumbing.
The families attended the Baptist Church until it burned and
the congregation disbanded. They later joined the Presbyterian Church. Both women were charter members of the Fairfax-Andover Social Club and were active members all their
lives. Charles was a member of the school board of District 123
until it was consolidated into the Crookston district in 1953.
He served on the town board and was township assessor. For
about twelve years they lived on Mr. Smith's farm in section
30: then they moved back with the Smiths. until retirement.
Robert Musselman married Alice Byrne and in 1941 they
and their two sons moved to Los Angeles. California where he
found work in a defense plant. Later. he became a plumber
and in 1947 Eugene and his wife. Evelyn (Ellinger). joined him.
Mariam became a teacher and taught the Burnham Creek
school west of Crookston where she met and married Ralph
Finkenbinder.
Charles and Louise Musselman passed away in 1960 and
1961 respectively. They are buried in Oakdale Cemetery with
their son. Donald. who died in 1923.
NEWHOUSE (NYHUS) BROTHERS
Elling T. (Nyhus) Newhouse from Houston County, Spring
Grove. Minnesota bought land from his father near Newhouse. Minnesota. a village named in honor of his grandfather.
Tollef O. Nyhus. where he was a successful farmer.
He believed that his sons could make a better living at farming. so decided to look for more land . After his sons. had
attended Breckenridge College of Decorah. Iowa: he JOurneyed to Crookston in search of farm land. He was satisfied
with the Crookston area . so he purchased a section of land in
Fairfax Township for three of his sons . He shipped machinery.
horses. cattle. feed, etc., by freight directly to Polk County
from Newhouse. Minnesota. This section of land was farmed
by the three brothers. Theodore. Willie. and Edwin for about
ten years: after that they divided the land equally. Each one
later built his own home. married and raised a family.
Theodore Martinus Newhouse (Nyhus) was born September
16. 1879 at Spring Grove. Minnesota. He married Helen Jelle
March 20. 1905. Helen was born July 7. 1882 at Faribault.
Minnesota. She wa s a dressmaker in Crookston. After a few
years of farming they traded their farm for a store in M a bel in
Southern Minneso ta in Huston County between Caledonia
and Spring Grove. Later they so ld th e store. and moved up
north. Four Towns. near Grygl a. Minnesota. around 191 7.
where Theodore had ho mesteaded in the early 1900's.
They had four children: Evelyn Geneva: born in Crookston.
Minnesota. Myrtle Henrietta. Elmer J a me s . and Leon a rd
George. a ll born in Wilmin gton. Minnesota . Evelyn married
Gullick Byklum. They have five children: Ha ze l. Irene. Raymond. lone. and Wallace. Myrtle ma rried John By klum. They
have four children: Ronald . Lois. Twins Rodney and Du a ne
and step-d aughters. Darlene and Lavo ne.
When Theodore died December 1930. Elm er was only nineteen and Leonard seventeen. but with a lo t of hard work a nd
help from neighbors. th ey took over the wo rk on the farm . and
still have it tod ay . They never ma rried. Evelyn and Myrtle
attended sc ho o l in southern Minneso ta. All four finished with
schooling in the north. Helen died October 2. 1963.
Willie Cornelious Newhouse (Nyhus) was born Au gust 24.
1880 a t Spring Grove. Minnesota. He ma rried Ethel Grace
Avery. December 8. 19 15 in Crookston. Minneso ta. She was
born February I. 1894 at Stockto n. Illin o is. Besides being a
homemaker. Ethel (Grace she was known as) ha d always been
interested in art a nd draw in g. Sh e had a na tural talent for it.
and had man y hobbies. WilDe was interested in farming and
livestock. especially with raising OIC a nd Chester White pi gs.
They farmed with ho rses for many yea rs. One of the mos t difficult times was July 3. 1935 . the day of the tornado. which completely demolished the barn a long with inflicting o ther losses.
A new barn was built immediately. They farmed in Fairfax
township for about fort y-six yea rs. then moved into Crookston
in 1960. Irvin purchased the homeplace in 1957 . Willie and
Grace were th e parent s of seven children . al l of whom
attended school a t di strict 288. and were members of the Kittson 4-H Club. which at o ne time had fort y- three members.
Earl Avery was born February 13. 1917. He was a graduate
of Northwest School. 1936. served in the a rm y 1942-45. a nd
has been with Sta ndard Oil Co. since 1938. He retired in 1976.
He married on December 7. 1940 to Louise J. Hanson. They
have five children: J anet Mae. bo rn 1942. Gerald Wayne. bo rn
1944. Darlene Kay. born 1946. Peggy Jea n. born 1953. and
Barbara Ann. born 1954. Four grandchi ldren: Sheri . Terry.
Joey. and Danny. December 26. 1967 Earl ma rried Agnes
Hanson Noah. She had seven children: Betty Moran. James
Thomas. Do ug las Gilbert. Vincent Leroy. Carol Louise. Margaret Ann. and J o n Fra ncis.
Kenneth Wilson was born November 16. 191 9. He a ttended
Northwest Schoo l in 1937. He se rved in the army 1942-45. He
is employed with Bemidji Co-op Creamery and is president o f
the Central Labor Union of Bemidji . He married o n December
24. 1943 Marion J. Rein sc midt. They had two daughters: A li ce
Lynn born in 1945 and Cynthia Gaye. bo rn in 1948 : a lso one
son Kenneth James. Kenneth died December 28. 1948 .
Ivah Gladys was bo rn August 20. 1921. She a ttended Northwest School. She was married September 24. 1941 to Alex
Drumheller (employed with G. N. and Burlingto n since 1939).
They live at Fisher. Minneso ta. They had the Fisher "Co nfectionary Store" 1956-61. They have two children: Judy Marie
born in 1943. a nd Denni s Allan born in 1947. They have three
grandsons: Daniel. Dav id. a nd Steven.
Luella May was bo rn November 12. 1923. She married
Armond Gamme. June 15. 1945 . She is employed at "Supreme
Dairy" Crookston. Armond died June 5. 1946. August 16. 1947
Luella married James Whitney. He se rved in the navy four a nd
one-half years. He is employed with Strander Abstract I nsurance Company as vice-president and treas urer a nd la ter as
president of the Minnesota La nd Title Assoc ia tion. She too
was employed with Strander Abstract. J a mes died June 5.
1971. Luella died November 1973. They had two children:
Pau l Leslie born 1954. and Joyce Lyn n born 1956.
Glenn Raymond was born November 19. 1925 . He se rved
with the navy 1944-46. He engaged in farming grain and suga r
beets. He married Ly la Larso n on May 24. 1947. They ha ve
four children: Patricia Ann. born 1947. Ronald Glenn bo rn
1949. Grego ry Allen born 1951. and Timoth y Sco tt born 1959.
They have fo ur grandchildren: Joey. Chad. Ronda . a nd Kell y.
Irvin Ellsworth was born September 3. 1928. He took over
the fa rm in 1957 a nd lives on the ho me place. He engaged in
farming grain and sugar beets. He married Arlene Lenoir
(Hoverson) on March 29. 1969. They have two children: Bruce
Allan born 1957. Leo na Mae born 1958.
H aro ld Jerome was born December 12. 1930. He served in
the navy 1952-55. He was a graduate of Central High School.
attended San Diego Sta te College for three yea rs. Hav ing
moved to California. he was employed by " Sears Roebuck"
Co. He ma rried Vern a Torgeso n December 15. 1956. They
have three so ns: Keven Scott born in 1957. Ran dy Wilson
born in 1959. and Gary Lee was born in 1962. They reside in
EI Cajon. California.
Willie died July 6. 1962: and Ethel (Grace) died June 18.
1973 .
Edwin M argido Newhouse (Nyhus) was b o rn August 25.
1882. a t Spring Grove. Minneso ta. He married Berth a Gretchen Jebe. J a nuary 22. 1908. in Crookston. Minnesota. She
was born April 23. 1888 in Busd o rf. Germany . She came to the
United States as a n infant. They farmed in Fa irfax Town ship
until 1958. They had two so ns. Bo th attended schoo l a t Di strict
288.
Ernest Newhouse was born November 24. 1908. He was a
graduate of Northwest School. Crookston and attended Carleton College. Northfield. Minneso ta. He was married on September 3. 1934 to Edna H. Erdman. He was a staff announcer
at Radio Sta tion KGFK. M oo rhead . Minneso ta. From 193334 he was sales manager for Premier Electric Appliance Company. Minneap o lis fr o m 1934 to 1942. He served in the
USAAF fr o m 1942-46. He was founder a nd owner of: Newhouse Automotive I ndustries. Los Angeles. 1946-61: Pacific
Lubrica nts Company. Los An ge les. 1947-61: Engine Accessories M a nufacturin g Company. Los Angeles. 1948-61 when the
three businesses were sold. He was president o f Walbef In vestment Corporation. Whittier. California fro m 1955 to the present. Ernest and Edna presentl y re side a t 15239 EI Soneto
Drive. Whittier. California. 90605. Ernest was honored fo r a
number of yea rs by being in . "Who's Who in the West." a nd in
World Who's Wh o (commerce a nd Indu stry).
Family of Willie and Ethel Newhouse : Front row, L. to R.: Willie,
Irvin, Harold and Grace. Back row, L. to R.: Earl, Luella, Kenneth.
Ivah and Glenn.
Lawrence was bo rn April 23. 1910. He graduated from the
Northwest School in Croo kston a nd Intersta te College. Fargo.
North Dakota. He was ma rried June 9. 1938 to June F. Berger
at Marble. Minneso ta. They have one daughter. two sons. Beverly Joy - 1943. Keith Lawrence - 1942. Neil Francis 1950. all born in Minnea polis. Minnesota. Law rence is a real
estate broker. They reside at 411 North Sha dy Court. Brea .
California 9262 1. Edwin and Berth a celebrated their 50th
anniversary in 1958. in California. Following Edwin's dea th in
1959. Bertha resided in Buffalo. Minneso ta : then in 1965 she
moved to Clairmont. California. Bertha died M ay 25, 1974.
Edwin died Ma y 30. 1959.
The " ewhouse Brothers" were pro minent fa rmers, ac tive
in Church a nd community affairs. members o f F a irfax Farm
Bureau and Community Club. secre ta ry-treas urer o f Fairfax
Township Boa rd . members of School Boa rd Di st rict 288 for
253
many years, and joint owners of the original Fairfax Telephone Company.
CHARLES AND ETHA PESTER
My maternal grandfather, Charles Tinnermeier, was born in
Hohenhausen,. Germany in 1833 and my maternal grandmother, Mmnte Goeke, was born at Rock City, Wisconsin in
1848. They were married in 1868 and moved to Newton, Iowa
where they farmed till 1905, when they moved to Baxter, Iowa.
Grandfather passed away in 1911 and Grandmother in 1938.
They raised eleven children. My mother, Elizabeth, was the
youngest.
My paternal grandparents, Edward Pester and Nellie Buck,
were both born in the United States and lived in Davenport,
Iowa when they were married. Grandfather Pester worked at
the railroad foundry in Rock Island, Illinois till he lost the
sight of one eye from a piece of flying steel. In about 1900 they
moved from Davenport to a small farm at Rhodes, Iowa, they
were there till 1929 when they moved and lived with Grandmother's brother, Herbert Buck. Grandfather passed away in
1932 and grandmother in 1938. They raised five children; my
father. Henry, was the third.
My father was born in 1885 at Davenport and my mother in
1889 at Newton. They were married in December 1906. I was
born in December. 1907. We lived on four small farms near
Rhodes and Melbourne till 1915 when we moved to Collins,
Iowa, where my father operated a drug store. In 1916 the drug
store was traded for a 300-acre (arm near Manvel , North
Dakota. We farmed there till 1919 when we moved to Grand
Forks, North Dakota. Father worked in a produce house while
we were there. In 1921 we moved back to the farm; in 1924 we
moved again to a farm near Johnstown, North Dakota . In
1929 we moved to Crookston, Minnesota on the farm where
my wife Etha and I now live. In 1938 my father and mother
moved into Crookston. In 1942 they moved to a farm near
Euclid. Minnesota. In 1943 they moved back to Crookston,
where father passed away in 1971, and Mother is now living at
the St. Francis Residence in Crookston.
My sister Margaret was born in December 1909, sister Marion in 1912 (died in 1935), sister Dorothy March 1915, sister
Wanda November 1920, and brother Harlan October 1918.
I attended grade school in Rh odes and Collins, Iowa country school near Manvel and in Grand Forks, I attended high
school one yea r at Manvel. My sister Margaret and I drove the
seven miles that we lived from Manvel at that time every day.
When the roads were dry we drove the old Model T but when
it was muddy we drove a team on the buggy, in the winter the
team on a covered sleigh. We called it the jumper!
LEtha Agnes (Bollinger), was born January 30, 1910 the
yo ungest of II children born to Henry and Agnes (Schu ltz)
Bollinger at Fulton, Iowa. My maternal grandparents, Sarah
Kaufman and Frank Schultz, were born in Pennsylvania later
homesteadmg m South Dakota and still later moving to eastern Iowa. My paternal grandparents, Jacob Anna Miller Bol-
Charles and Etha
Pester.
254
linger , were both born in Switzerland. Jacob entered the
United States through New York in 1852, worked awhi le in
OhtO, moved on to Indiana and farmed . Anna (Miller) BollInger entered the United States through the port of New Orleans on the saIlmg vessel "The Harvest"; they were 53 days
crossmg the AtlantIC. The family came up the Mississippi to
LOUISVIlle, Kentucky. Later they bought land in Indiana across
the nver.
Anna Miller and Jacob were married September II, 1875 in
Clark County, Indiana . I moved to a farm northwest of Crookston, Minnesota with my parents, three brothers, John, Max
and Charles, and two sisters Dorothy Lien and Margaret Slyt.
The fIve older sIsters remained in Iowa. I attended grade
school in District # 213 for seven years. We had to make our
own fun : we used to hitch up the young calves to a two-wheel
cart and had a great time driving them around; several families
would take turns having house pa rties at least once a week. My
dad played the violin and Mrs. Paul Hansen played the pump
organ or the. pl a no, whIchever the family had . I fell asleep
many tImes In school the days after the parties. We went in
sIelghs buned m straw and blankets to keep warm. The highlIght of the year was the Christmas programs at the school and
the Chnstmas parties at the neighbors' homes. Each family
would furnIsh len pounds of sugar for candy. Charles Quick,
one of the neIghbors who was a professional candy maker
made all the candy, enough for all!
In 1924 the family moved five and one-half miles east of
Crookston where Leslie Dans now lives . I finished grade
school at the brick school east of Crookston and graduated
from Crookston Central High in 1928. I attended one year of
normal trammg a t the Franklin School. House parties were our
fun through the high school years. After normal school I
taught four years in rural schools around Crookston.
On June 6, 1935, Charles and I were married at the Pester
home in Ii double wedding with his sister Margaret and Bennie
Stnckler. We bought and lived on a farm west of Crookston till
1938. The house was a former school house built with oak logs.
TImes were rather tough and money was scarce, we looked a t a
quarter a long time before we went for a show. During the winter the neIghbors took turns having card parties. We usually
went m a bob sleIgh, wrapped m blankets. One night it was 52°
below zero.
In 1938 we traded farms with Charles' folks and moved here
where we now live. We have had some good years and some
not so good, but we have enjoyed our years on the farm and
have not found a spot where we would rather live than here.
We have raised six fine children: Shirley, Ralph, James,
CaroL Robert and Pamela. They are all married and have families of their own.
J. HOWARD SARGENT
J . Howard Sargent first came to Minnesota from Rush ville,
illInOiS as a farm laborer. working as a binder driver on the
Grandm, orth Dakota grain farm. He homesteaded near
Four Town, Minnesota for a couple of years before marrying
Ethel Della Rose of Ru shville, Illinois on April 28, 1914. They
settled on a 480-acre farm seven miles Southeast of Crookston
They raised small grains, potatoes, sheep, registered cattle and Poland China swine. On this farm they eventually
built a whole new set of buildings. Their five chi ldren, Edward,
deceased ; LOIS, Mrs. Ray Smith, Baudette, Minnesota' Clarence, Osakis, Minnesota; Marion, Mrs. Wm . E. Kisstmmee, Flonda; Marlys (Mrs. Orvis Englestad) Florence,
Alabama, all graduated from the Northwest School of Agriculture.
"Howard" as he is known by his many friends, is a member
of the MethodIst church, served o n the church board Red
River Valley Winter Shows, township board, school board and
the local telephone company. He was the first president of the
Crookston Production Credit Association and he and his wife
were hon ored as "Farmer and Homemaker" of West Polk
County: He is best remembered for his outstanding herd of
H olsteIn cattle, Poland China swine, and his community
minded spirit.
In 1946 Laura moved back to Iowa to be with Andrew's oldest sister, Maude Kennard, during her husband's illness and
death. Later she lived with other relatives, until on March II,
1952 she married Roy W. Quinby in Floyd, Iowa. They lived
in Floyd until Mr. Quinby passed away in January of 1975.
Laura now resides in Crookston with her daughter and son-inlaw, Mr. and Mrs. Allen Brolsma and Scott. She is very active
and spends many hours doing embroidery work.
Laura's grandson, Arlynn Seaton and family, now live on
the family farm and "going out to the place a young couple
selected for home 60 years ago" can have many memories for a
90-year-old lady.
Threshing in 1935 at the J. Howard Sargent farm.
ANDREW P. SEATON
Laura Belle Reser and Andrew Pennell Seaton were married
February 22, 1905, at the home of her mother, Emma L. Reser,
in Floyd County, Iowa. Laura was born July 2, 1885 near Belvedere, Il1inois. Andrew was born February 14, 1884 at Floyd,
Iowa. They lived on his father's farm in Floyd County for ten
years until they moved to Polk County , Minnesota , and
bought a farm in Fairfax Township on March I, 1915. Andrew
had been here the year before to buy the farm from Joe Montagne. This 160 acres was purchased for $9,000 and rented out
the first year before the family moved to Polk County.
Three children were born before Laura and Andrew moved
to Minnesota : Emma Lucile. born December 22, 1906; George
Ferguson born March 1. 1908 ; Edna Fern born January 15,
1912. The family had been here less than one year when Edna
died of spinal meningitis shortly before her fourth birthday.
The family took her back to Iowa to be buried. While they
were in Iowa, a fourth child, Oren Andrew, was born January
10.1916.
Three weeks later the family came back to Minnesota to
start again. They raised livestock, a few pigs, chickens. turkeys
and small grain. Most of the grain was used for feed.
Two more daughters were born - Leah Joyce born July 28,
1919. and Maude Ethel born March 26, 1924.
A few buildings were added to the original farm yard. A
threshing machine was purchased and with a neighbor, Albert
Behren. custom threshing was done around the neighborhood.
On May II. 1928 Andrew passed away. This left Laura to
run the farm and also to care for five children. The family
managed to finish paying for the farm and also purchased
another 160 acres adjoining their farm .
George and Lucile attended the Quarberg school while
Oren, Leah and Maude attended the Brick School , which was
a distance of three and one-half miles from home.
Laura moved to Crookston in the winter of 1942. Her children were through school and Oren and his family continued
to live on the farm . She lived in a rooming house with daughters Leah and Maude until Leah went to Fresno, California to
be with her husband. Maude married Charles Lane in August
of 1943 and moved to Albany. Georgia. When Maude left,
Leah returned to live with her mother until her husband
returned from overseas.
Seaton Home 1918.
CARL STARK
I, Meta Stark, came from Hannover, Germany in 1911 with
my parents. We settled in Hull. Iowa, on a farm. Then we
moved to Rock Rapids, Iowa. There I met my husband, Carl
Stark . He was born in Berleburg, Germany, in 1900. Carl came
to America in 1923. He went to South Dakota, where his sister
and family lived. Then he went to Rock Rapids, Iowa. Carl
and I were married in Rock Rapids on December 31, 1928. On
January 12, 1929. we moved to Fisher, Minnesota, on a farm
northeast of Fisher where we farmed for eighteen years. Our
four girls were all born there. Their names are Hildegard.
Ursula, Emilie and Henrietta. Then in 1947, we ' moved to
Crookston, Minnesota and lived on a farm east of Crookston .
In 1971. Carl passed away of a heart attack. We have nine
grandchildren.
Carl and Meta
Stark.
PHILIP J. WEILER
The Philip J . Weiler family arrived in Polk County on July I,
1971. Residing originally at 711 North Broadway, Crookston,
they moved June 1. 1972 to a newly constructed home located
on a two and one-half acre tract on the northwest quarter of
Section 20 of Fairfax township. This tract had been the site of
a farmstead. but the farm house had burned down many years
earlier. and the barn had been moved to the homesite of Ed
Anderson. the owner from whom Weilers purchased the property.
The Weiler family consisted of Mr. Weiler, his wife, Barbara, and five children - Cindy, born April 28, 1958; Pam ,
born September 6, 1960; Rose, born September 27, 1961;
Judy, born January 20, 1963 ; and Doug, born July 20, 1964.
Mr. Weiler was an ordained minister, who came to Crookston
to serve as pastor of the United Presbyterian Church. Previous
to their residence in Polk County, they had lived at Two Harbors, Minnesota (1965-71). Caldwell, Ohio (1961 -65), Louisville, Kentucky (1960-61), and Pasadena, California (1957-60).
Mr. and Mrs. Weiler were married June 22, 1957. at St. Paul,
Minnesota.
Mr. Weiler's family consisted of two different strains: his
father's family were urban business people, descended from
German, French. and Scotch immigrants who had settled in
east central Minnesota in the late nineteenth century. His
mother came from a rural family of German and English settlers, who came to southwestern Wisconsin in the early nineteenth century. From the area around Arena, Wisconsin, they
255
moved to Osage County. Iowa. a nd then to Parkers Pra irie.
Minnesota. owning and operating farms at each place. Mr.
Weiler's parents met while both were attending Northwes tern
Bible School at Minneapolis . Following their marriage. they
spent an active life as a Baptist pastor's famil y . serving
churches in Cook. Minnesota. H ollandale. Minnesota. Superior. Wisconsin. and St. Paul. Minnesota.
Mrs. Weiler's father's family descended from German immigran ts. Her father grew up on a farm in Nye. Wisconsin. but
later settled in Osceola. Wi sconsin. He late r became an active
business man with the F. W. Woolworth Company until he
suffered a major heart a ttack in 1956. Mrs. Weiler's mother's
fami ly origi nated in England. Two brothers immigrated to
America in 1660 . H er mother grew up in SI. Paul. Mrs .
Weiler's parents were married in 1927. moved severa l times to
various towns in th e Midwest. and finall y settled in St. Paul
where Mrs. Weiler grew up in the Lake Como di strict.
OSCAR AND AMANDA WERMAGER
Amanda Josephine Buxengaard. d a ughter of Knut e and
Guri Hefte Buxengaard. and Oscar Martin Wermager. son of
O le H. and Maria Ostern Wermager. were married in Wilmington towns hip . H ous ton co'Unty at the Wilmington
Luthe ran Church on April 20. 19 10. In April of 19 14 they traveled to Crookston and sett led in Fairfax township. Crookston.
Minnesota. H erein a re Mrs. Wermager's recollections of those
times.
"Traveling by boxcar with all of yo ur worldly possessions to
a new home in a new community was not the easiest thing in
my life. We arrived at Kittson Station . loca ted by · the Louie
Cournia farm . at 2:00 a.m .. April 3. 1914. after a three-day
train trip with horses. potatoes. home canned goods. furniture.
plow. drag. planter. seed grain and a new Ford car. Mr. and
Mrs. Eddie Newhouse had us stay with them for the ni ght. and
we then moved into our two-room house on a 120-acre farm in
Fairfax township. Section 32. This is now owned by Howard
Reitmeier a nd was formerly called the Barren farm. Oscar's
brother Carl a nd his wife. Lena. who was also my sister, were
supposed to move to Crookston after Grandpa Wermager had
traded th e Wilmington Grocery Store for the 120-acres of land
in Crookston. Our dad was ill at the time and Lena was taking
care of him at th at time and did not wa nt to make the move, so
it was Oscar a nd I that came. At that time we had two children. Gilma. who had been born January 7. 1912 a nd is now
Mrs. Gale Leonard of Boulder City. Nevada; and Odella. born
October 3. 1913. now Mrs. Wallace Olson of Braham. Minnesota. That first spring and summer were busy times. what with
the taking of trees from the riverbank and replan tin g them.
plus a ll of the other work connected with farming. We were
fortunate to have a good well. so water could be carried to
these trees which were planted for a windbreak. Crops were
also good and we built a new house in 19 18. Another daughter.
Alma. now Mrs. Martin Melhouse of Crookston. was born
November 18. 1916.
"Grandpa Ole H . Wermager and hi s second wife. Laura
Larson. moved to Crookston in 19 15 to a farm sou th of us in
Ru ssia l township. li ving in a smaller house wh ile their new
home was being bui lt on the farm that now belongs to Tilman
Wermager. Gr;ndpa lived on ly a yea r after moving here and
was buried in Wilmington. Grandma and her son Louis Larson and Osca r's brother. Tilman moved into the new house."
Fanny Township History
Fanny Township was organized in 1880 and named for a
lady named Fanny whose surname is not known. According to
two entries in the office of Register of Deeds. the first election
was held at the home of W. elson. Judges were George Day.
Luke Colborn and W. Nelson . Clerks were Ben Holter and
George O' ea l. No mention was made of officers elec ted. The
fir st township meeting was held at the home of Mr. Bracket.
March 3. 1882. Walter Latta. S. A. Freeman. a nd W. L. Nelson
were judges . Clerks were John Lerry and Alexander
McDonald. Again no mention of officers elected. The first
town hall was the school in District 77. in Section 20 on land
now owned by Wil liam Volker. But for many years it has been
in the Tin School in the northern part of the township. Some of
th e earliest se ttl ers in the township were the Rutherfords.
Loves. O'Breihts. Benoits. Vonderbecks. Senskes. Radis. and
Volkers who were here before 1900. The Jens Rasmussens
came in 1904 and Altepeters in 1905.
Fanny Township pioneers. as all pioneers. had to be self sufficient. Farming was mainly subsistence farming. When wheat.
the main money crop. was harvested . farmers hauled it by
team to the nearest elevator. They always came home with a
year's supply of flour and perhaps most of the main staples
such as coffee. salt. sugar. beans. etc. All farms had large gardens. and the farm women canned all their vegetables. and
made pickles and jelly. Every farm had cattle. pigs. and chickens, so farm families were well supp li ed with meat. butter, milk
and eggs. Anything left over was sold . so farmers had a little
money to buy a few things. Many homes were heated entirel y
with wood. .
At first there were no mail routes, a nd the men took turns
going once a week for the mail and delivering it to their neighbors. Finally a star route was organized out of Davidson.
Sometimes the mailman used a bicycle to deliver mail. In order
to have telephone service the people of Fanny Township and
neighboring townships organized their own telephone company about 19 12 and called it the Valley Telephone Company.
They connected with Bell Telephone Company near the Agricu lt ural College . These people built a nd maintained their own
256
telephone line. Alfred Rasmussen was one of the people who
climbed telephone po les to make repairs. For many yea rs there
was a pair of pole climbers in a box on his porch. About 1955
Bell Telephone Company bought the local company. a nd everyone got modern telephones. Edward. Mike and Clarence
Reitm eier. Erwin Bauer and AI Rasmussen ihstalled the telephones.
There were no rural churches in the area. and so the people
had to be directors of their own religion . M r. Buffin gton
organized a Sunday School during the 1880's which met in the
sc hool District 77. The American Sunday School Union was
o rganized in 1912 and Sunday School was held in the Tin
School. The Amul Torklesons were very active in this organiza ti on. In 1925 a Missionary Society was organized . Their aim.
as stated in the charter. was to help the needy in the community. About that time the Fanny Home Study Club came into
being and is sti ll meeting. Farm Bureau. Farmer's Un ion and
4H C lubs also were active .
Fanny Township is a very stable community. with land
passed on from father to son. Conrad Danielson owns and
operates the land aw ned by his father. John Terry, Clarence
Reitmei er, Ivan Radi, Alfred Rasmussen. Glen Torkelson.
J oh n Damhoff. Edward R ei tm eier. Duane Wimpfheimer.
Loves. Volkers and Rutherfords do likewi se. In some cases the
third genera ti on owns the land. In 1979 the Robe rt Rutherford
land will have been Rutherford land for a century.
The people of Fanny Township are proud of their homes
and community. Prosperity and mobility have made it a much
less closely knit community than it once was. I hope th at each
and everyone of us appreciate the toi l and hardships of our
ancestors that has made possible our lives as they are today.
BO NANZA FARMING
My earliest memories of the Buffington farm are a mass of
ugly tumbling down buildings in the northeast corner of