"History of Freeborn County", 1882
Freeman Twp. Biographies
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OLE A. BERGDOL was born in Norway, and when twenty years old he emigrated to America with his parents, his father dying with lung fever while on the ocean. The remainder of the family located in Dane county, Wisconsin, and after five years experience in farming in that place came here and purchased his present farm of two hundred and forty acres, most of which is now under cultivation. In 1872 he went to Northwood, Iowa, and purchased two hundred and twenty acres of land, and remained there two years. He was married in 1872 to Miss Betsy Johnson, and they have one child, a daughter, aged eight years. Mr. Bergdol's mother was killed by a stroke of lightning, at the age of sixty-nine years. She is buried in the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran cemetery at this place.
WILLIAM FREEMAN was born in Northampton England, on the 1st of August, 1832. At the age of thirteen years he was obliged to depend upon his own resources, and for some time he lived with Henry Follett, brother of Sir John Follett, of London. In 1852 he came to America, engaged in farming four years near Rutland. Vermont, and then came to Illinois, thence, in a short time, to Minnesota. He located on his present farm, first living in a tent, but soon after erected his house, which has been improved, and now has the tin roof. His farm contains one hundred and sixty acres and is well improved, having a grove of oak
timber and a very fine orchard. It is centrally located, convenient to two churches, and altogether is a very desirable home.
ROBERT FREEMAN was born in Northampton, England, on the 18th of March. 1841. and when fourteen years old came to America and engaged in farming near Castleton, Rutland county, Vermont. In 1857 he came west to Illinois, located in Kaneville, Kane county, where he remained one year, and came to Minnesota, preempting his present land in sections eleven and four, Freeman township. In 1862 he returned to Illinois, where he remained twelve years, and in 1874 married Miss Louisa Nelson, coming again to his farm in this place the following year. They have three children, John P., Edna B., and Alice, an infant. Mr. Freeman is a member of the Town and School boards.
OLE K. FLASKERUD was born near Christiania, Norway, on the 29th of August, 1843. In 1866, he came to America, and after spending some time in Calmar, Iowa, removed to this county, locating near Twin Lakes, in Nunda, and purchased forty acres of land, on which he made some improvements. In 1868, he went to Otter Tail county, purchased land near Fergus Falls, but in 1875, came to this place and bought a quarter of section twenty-seven. He was married to Miss Mary Jacobson, who has borne him four children, two of whom are dead. Those living are Kaii, Johan and Anna. Mr. Flaskerud has been Town Treasurer three successive years, and has also held other local offices. His father and mother died in Norway, being quite aged.
ERIK K. FLASKERUD was born on the 20th of July. 1841, near Christiania, Norway, and received a good education, learning the shoemaker's trade in his native country. In 1869, he was married to Miss Caroline Stromsod, of Norway, and the same year they emigrated to America, remained for awhile in Iowa, and then came to this State, locating on his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres in this township, section twenty-one. His parents died in the old country at an advanced age. Mr. Flaskerud has always taken an interest in church, school, and town affairs, having been Clerk of his school district ten successive years, assessor three years, and Town Treasurer three years. His children are: Christian, Theodore, Olive, Anna, Inger, Mary, and Edward.
CHARLES GRIM is a Prussian, born near Gorhrz in the province of Saxony, on the 22d of February, 1824, and grew to manhood in his native country. In 1854, he came to America, and for two years was engaged in a sugar factory in Memphis, Tennessee; removed to Davenport, Iowa, and thence to Minnesota, locating on section one in Nunda township. He soon sold his claim there, however, and for three years worked on neighboring farms, then purchased two hundred and forty acres of land in this township, section twenty-four. In 1859, he married Miss Catharine Beighley, of Pennsylvania, and they have had six children, four of whom are living; Ada M., Rosa S., Georgiana B., and George W. Mr. Grim's mother died in Prussia in 1860, aged seventy-two years, and his father, Gottlieb Grim, was in the war of 1812, and continued in service nearly twenty years. He was at one time taken prisoner with five others, and after several days of fasting, they finally made their escape, some one from the outside making an opening in the cellar in which they were confined. After nine days wandering, their only food being sour sorrel, they all died but Mr. Grim, who recovered from his exposure, but only lived a few years, then found an early grave, which is kept green in memory by his son Charles.
GEORGE HYATT was born in Cayuga county, New York, on the 5th of July, 1832, and at an early age removed with his parents to Oswego county, near Hannibal Centre, where he received his education and grew to manhood. In 1855, he removed to Yankee Settlement, Iowa, engaged at the carpenter and joiner trade, and in 1857, came to Shell Bock, Minnesota. He soon after preempted land in this township, in section thirteen, and now has a farm of two hundred and eighty acres under a high state of cultivation, with a finely finished house, commodious granaries, barns, etc., and gives his attention to farming and stock raising. He was married in 1863, to Miss Ione Bartlett, and they have six children; Annette, Sherman, Willett L., Frank C., and Edgar and Edna, who are twins.
ALEXANDER JOHNSON was born on the 23d of April, 1823, near Arendahl, Norway, and remained in his native country until thirty-five years old. He came to America, and for some time found employment in the pineries in Michigan and later engaged in fishing on Lake Michigan. In 1862, he removed to Minnesota and staked out a claim,
but soon sold and bought a farm in Freeman, section thirty-one, where he still resides. He married Miss Mary Mickleson in 1868, and they have two children; Julius, and Louisa.
ANDREW J. LANG was born in 1834, in Canada, in Dalhousie, province of Ontario, and received a good education. When, twenty-two years old, he came to Shell Rock, this county, and purchased his farm of two hundred acres in section twenty-four. He and his brother Robert have lived together for many years in single blessedness. They were the first to own and operate a threshing machine in this place, that being their employment for fifteen summers. They wore out three machines of the J. I. Case make. Their father, mother, and sister have all passed away, and are buried in the Greene cemetery. The sister's name was Jeannette and she died on the 10th of June, 1881. Andrew and Robert, the last of the family, have, through their superior and careful business management, acquired wealth and the sincere respect of all who know them.
OLE O. OPDAHL is a native of Norway and dates his birth on the 25th of July, 1844. He attended school until the age of sixteen years, when he learned the blacksmith trade, and continued his studies at an evening school for two years. In 1869, he emigrated to America, located in Ossian, Iowa, where he was employed at his trade six years, and was married in 1871, to Miss Rachel Christianseru He went to Forest City, and for two years dealt in agricultural implements, coming to Minnesota in 1875, and purchased his present farm of three hundred and twenty acres, and has conducted it since, also engaging at his trade. He has been Clerk of the board of School trustees most of the time since his residence here, and also a member of the board of Supervisors and after¬ward Chairman of the same, still holding the latter office. He has had four children, three of whom are living; G. O., Thorston E., and Eliza A. His mother is still living, sixty-seven years of age. His father was drowned, the vessel being wrecked in a trip from Christiania to his home.
WIFFING WADSWORTH was born at Stoke Doyel, Northamptonshire, England, on the 10th of September, 1830, and grew to manhood in that country, receiving such an education as the common schools afforded. In 1854, he came to America, and for some time engaged in farming in Vermont, coming to this State in 1856, and pre-empted a claim. He soon sold that and purchased two hundred acres of school land in section sixteen, where he now resides. In 1858, he married Miss Sarah Freeman, and they had six children : Elizabeth A., Joseph L., Ada J., Agnes, George E., and Mary. In 1864, Mr. Wadsworth enlisted
in the army and served till the fall of 1865, when he received an honorable discharge. He has always taken a deep interest in public affairs, and has been kept constantly in office, being Town Clerk at present.
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