"History of Freeborn County", 1882
Alden Twp. Biographies
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ELI B. CLARK is a native of New York, born on the 12th of April, 1818. He resided at home until the age of twenty-one years, then carried on a farm for two years. In 1840, he married Miss Joan A. Strope and in the autumn of that year they went to Ohio, where Mr. Clark was engaged at the blacksmith trade. In 1848, he moved to Portage county, Wisconsin, and in the fall of 1849, was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court; resigned the following year and engaged in the mercantile business at Plover in the same county. In 1858, he sold out and was chosen under Sheriff. In the fall of 1860, he moved to Ohio and engaged in mercantile pursuits until 1864, when he returned to Portage county. Mr. Clark came to Canton, in Fillmore county, in 1865, and while there established a Post-office called Prosper; was appointed its first Postmaster and also dealt in real estate. He subsequently bought and conducted a hotel in Hokah, Houston county, until 1869. In the latter year his wife died. He then sold his hotel and was traveling salesman for three years. In 1872, he married a second time and then purchased a hotel in Freeborn. He also owns an interest in the coal and gypsum mines and is secretary of the company. He has three daughters; Rosaline, the eldest, married L. Rossiter, a Captain in the late war; the second married W. S. Prentiss, now a passenger conductor on the C. E. I. & P. railroad; the youngest married H. L. McGee, now train master on the central branch of the Missouri Pacific railroad in Kansas.
SEYMORE F. CAST was born in Michigan in 1850. In 1860, he removed to Vernon, Waushara county, Wisconsin, and remained ten years. He then came to Manchester, in this county, staked out a claim in section nineteen but soon moved to Alden, erected a wagon shop on Main street, and is now of the firm of Cary Bros. He was married in 1875, the ceremony taking place on the 24th of June. His younger brother, Frank E., was born on the 21st of April, 1860, and learned the wheelwright trade in 1879. The older brother has run a thresher in this State for many years.
HENRY B. COLLINS was born in New York, on the 30th of March, 1832, and grew to manhood on a farm. He finished his education at Milton College, and after leaving school taught during the winter seasons. In 1843, the family removed to Rock county, Wisconsin, where our subject continued to teach school. In 1854, he was joined in matrimony with Miss Almeda L. Main, and in 1859, removed to Carlston, Freeborn county, pre-empting land in sections twenty-two and twenty-seven, and buying in section twenty-eight. He commenced the study of law; was admitted to the bar in 1862, and has followed the practice of his profession ever since. He has been Justice of the Peace for eighteen years; Town Clerk twelve years, and District Attorney in 1864, '66, and '68. He is now located in Alden, has a law office and conducts a dry goods store, in which he formerly kept drugs. He is a Notary Public and collection agent; has two hundred acres of land in this State and four hundred in Nebraska. He was appointed Chairman of the Congressional convention held at Rochester in July, 1882.
N. S. CROMETT was born in Sebec, Maine, on the 1st of January, 1823, and when nineteen years old learned the blacksmith trade of John J. Lovejoy, with whom he worked four years. He then purchased the stock, and conducted the business twenty-five years. He was joined in marriage in 1845, with Miss Emily F. Gliden, who has borne him three children. In March, 1865, he removed to Davis, and in a short time to Bangor where he conducted a music store; remaining in his native State until 1866, when he came to Iowa, and engaged at his trade. In 1870, he came to this State, located on a homestead of three hundred acres in Mansfield township, where he was a member of the board of Supervisors during his residence there. After farming there five years, he removed to this place, engaged at his trade on Main street, and in 1875, purchased a house and lot on Washington street, and now has a large shop connected with his business. He also owns a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section six, the greater part of which is improved. He has been Chairman of the board of Supervisors, and is at present a prominent member of the village council.
MRS. FLORETTA DAVIS was born in New York in 1845. She moved with her father to Illinois, where the family resided seven years, and in 1862, came to Carlston, in this county. Mrs. Davis married her husband, Elmer E. Davis, in 1864, and moved to his farm in section six, Alden township. He came to Wisconsin in an early day, and moved from there to this place in 1863. He died in 1873, of consumption, leaving a family of four small children, the youngest of whom died soon after. Mr. Davis was a member of the Baptist Church, to which she also belongs.
W. S. FOST was born in Germany on the 12th of April, 1852, and learned the blacksmith trade when sixteen years old. In 1870, he emigrated to America, came directly to Albert Lea, and in a short time removed to Mansfield. After working at his trade in that place one year, he went to Winnebago City, engaged in farming and the next, fall removed to Wells, working in the railroad shops one year. He then was employed at his trade in different parts of the State until 1874, coming to this village in that year. He has a blacksmith shop on Main street. Miss Mary E. Jonky became his wife on the 18th of May, 1877, and they have three children.
HENRY C. FRIELY is a native of Germany, born in 1841, and when sixteen years old emigrated to America. He came directly to Chicago, Illinois; was conductor on a street car until 1862, when he enlisted in the One hundred and thirteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, being Orderly Sergeant two years, then was promoted to First Lieutenant; served till the close of the war and returned to Chicago. He clerked in the retail store of Field, Leiter & Co. eight years, and later took charge of Mandell Bros' dry goods store one year, at the end of which time he went into business for himself, selling out in 1875 and coming to Alden. In 1876, Mr. Friely removed to Albert Lea, where he clerked for C. M. Hewitt; afterward rented a farm near Pickerel Lake, which he conducted three years and returned to this place. He was married in 1879, to Miss Clara Bethker, and built his present house, in connection with which he has a billiard hall.
G. HALL was born in Clinton county, New York, on the 16th of August, 1824, and made his home in that county until 1865, when he came to this place; locating in section one. He was married in his native State in 1849 to Miss Susan A. Goodsell, and they have three children. In the autumn of 1869 they removed to what is now the village of Alden, building the first house in that vicinity, and two years after, an addition to it, which he uses for store purposes, having a stock of dry goods and groceries on Main street. He was chairman of the board of Supervisors three successive terms, and kept the first Post-office in town, known as the Buckeye Post-office.
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JOHN A. HAZLE was born in Canada on the 22d of February, 1847. His father was a merchant tailor, and John remained at home until 1859, when he came to Michigan. He was Captain of a boat on the lake for some time, then learned the carpenter trade and moved to Missouri, returning to Michigan in four years. He was married in 1873 to Miss Ella M. Wilbur, and the next year they came to Alden, Mr. Hazle purchasing the Alden House, a large hotel on the corner of Main and Broadway streets, near the depot. He has been a member of the board of Supervisors two years and is at present village marshal. He has a livery stable near his hotel.
WILLIAM B. HUMES was born in New Jersey, on the 25th of May, 1839, and while young removed with his parents to Illinois, and to Minnesota in the fall of 1854. In 1862 he enlisted in the Sixth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and was discharged the next year for disability. In 1864 he was joined in marriage with Miss Rachel M. Harrington, a native of Illinois, and they have two children. On the 25th of May, 1864, he removed from Pleasant Grove, where they had first located, to Alden, and erected a log house 14x16 feet. The next spring he assisted in the organization of the town, and was appointed first Town Treasurer; has been Justice of the Peace, and a member of the board of Supervisors one year. He has a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section one, seventy acres of which is improved, and a three acre grove.
REV. F. M. KRISTENSEN is a native of Denmark, born on the 31st of March, 1846, and graduated from Yelling Seminary, having been a student there three years. After teaching school seven years he attended a high school two years, then, in 1877, came to America. He remained in Michigan two years, and on the 5th of June, 1879. was married to Miss J. Nelson. They removed to Iowa and in the fall he came to Alden, and he preaches for the Danish Lutherans here and in Carlston, having about fifty followers. Mr. and Mrs. Kristensen have two children.
MRS. CLARISA NORTON, deceased, the wife of Nelson B. Norton, and mother of Charles, William, and Adrian Norton, of this county, a lady who was universally beloved and respected. Her maiden name was Derling, and she was born in Woodstock, Vermont. She afterwards lived in Hampton, New York, and there was married, remaining six years. In 1833, they got west as far as Chicago, and remained there six years, and then located in Burlington, Racine county, Wisconsin. In 1872, came to Minnesota and located near Alden, where the remainder of her life of varied experiences was passed. She had been married fifty-four years and had nine children. She was a woman of many virtues. After an experience of seventy-three years in this world, on the 17th of September, 1881, she quietly passed to the other shore.
COBNELIUS N. OSTEANDER was born in Clinton county, New York, on the 26th of September, 1849. He moved with his parents to Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, and in 1859, came to Minnesota, where he learned the carpenter trade, and for eleven years was engaged in farming and at his trade. In 1870, he removed to Wells, where he was engaged in a machine shop, thence to Minneapolis, returning, in a short time, to Albert Lea, and was employed at his trade and wagon-making. He next located in Alden, where he has a wagon and paint shop in the business portion of the village and also a jewelry store. He was married in 1870, to Miss Jennie Comstock. They have two children.
GUSTAV A. SCHWAUDKE was born in Prussia in 1854. His father kept a hotel and conducted a farm, and when fourteen years old our subject learned the butcher business. In 1876, he came to America and directly to Owatonna, Minnesota, where for sixteen months he was engaged in a meat market, then removed to Minneapolis and eight months later to Alden. In 1879, he opened a meat market and packing house on Broadway, and is doing an excellent business. He was joined in marriage on the 26th of May, 1879, with Miss Matilda Hammell.
JOHN N. WIESNER is a native of Germany, born on the 25th of July, 1854, and when fifteen years old emigrated to America. In 1869, he came to New Ulm, Minnesota, worked on a farm eight years, then came to Alden and opened a saloon on Main Street. In 1881, he left his business in charge of a clerk and was agent for the John Gund brewery company one year. He now has a billiard hall and is doing a prosperous business. He was married on the 7th of January, 1880, to Miss Barbara Hoffman.
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