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OLE LARSEN, a merchant of De Lamere, Sargent county, has been a resident of North Dakota since 1886, eleven years of which time he was engaged in the mercantile business and was successful. He is well known throughout that region as a business man and public-spirited citizen, and occupies a prominent position in the minds of his fellow men.
Mr. Larsen was born in Norway, February 17, 1839. He resided in his native land until 1886. and engaged in the mercantile business. In July of that year he came to America, and went direct to North Dakota and entered a tree claim; he afterward changed to a homestead on section 4. of Hall township, where he settled and has since made his home. He owns one hundred and sixty acres of land and has added substantial improvements, and otherwise provided for the comfort of the family. He engaged in the mercantile business in January, 1888, in which he still continues.
Our subject was married in Norway to Caroline Johnson, a native of the same country. Ten children, four sons and six daughters, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Larsen. as follows: Johanne: Marie; Elizabeth; Ingeborg: Lars, engaged in the mercantile business in De Lamere; John: Sigurd; Christine; Ragnhild and Leif. Mr. Larsen takes an active interest in the welfare of his community, and has served as a member of the township board and also of the school board. He is progressive and intelligent, and well merits his success.
JAY H. MALTBY, the efficient and popular postmaster of Milnor, and editor and proprietor of "The Sargent County Teller," is one of the rising young men of that region. He occupies a prominent place in the minds of his fellows, and has gained his position by earnest and honest efforts.
Mr. Maltby was born in Adams Center, Jefferson County, New York, July 30, 1868. When he was but four years of age he moved with his parents to Detroit. Minnesota, where he was reared to manhood, and educated in the common schools, and at the high school at Minneapolis. After completing his studies he entered the office of the "Detroit Record," where he learned the printer's trade, and was also employed in the office of the "Fergus Falls Journal." He became foreman and assistant editor of the "Detroit Record," and spent twelve years in the two offices above named. He went to Milnor, Sargent County. North Dakota, in 1891, and purchased "The Sargent County Teller." since which time he has been editor and proprietor of that paper. The circulation of the paper steadily increases, and it is one of the leading papers of that locality. It is Republican in politics and stands firmly for the principles of that party. Mr. Maltby is an able editor, and "The Sargent County Teller" is among the bright exchanges of the newspaper world.
Our subject was married in Minneapolis, Minnesota. November 19, 1890, to Miss Alice Hostetter, who was born in Filmore County, Minnesota. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Maltby, as follows: Dexter J., Allen J., Violet E., Belva A., and George D. Mr. Maltby is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Modern Woodmen of America, and American Yeoman. He was appointed postmaster of Milnor in 1897, and assumed the duties of the office July 15, of that year. He takes an active part in the local government, and has been village clerk of Milnor for three years. He is public-spirited and progressive and well merits his success.
 JAMES D. McKENZIE. M. D. As a physician this gentleman stands at the head of his profession, and as a citizen he commands the esteem of his fellowmen. He is a gentleman of excellent characteristics, and his labors among the people of Sargent county have been appreciated and he is now enjoying an extensive and remunerative practice. He has been a resident of Milnor for nearly fifteen years and has gained the confidence of the people.
Dr. McKenzie was born in the province of Quebec, March 28. 1840. He was reared there and received a collegiate education in his native place. He began the study of medicine in Canada, and attended the medical department of the University of Michigan, where he graduated in the class of 1869. He began the practice of his profession at Westfield, Vermont. where he remained six years, and then went to Floyd county, Iowa, where he practiced about seven years, and in December, 1880, went to Fargo, North Dakota, where he practiced about one and a half years, after which he located in Traill county. North Dakota, and after about two years returned to Fargo and continued there until in the summer of 1885. when he settled in Milnor, North Dakota. He has since been a resident practitioner of that town, and has met with unbounded success.
Our subject was married in the province of Quebec, December 20. 1864, to Miss Margaret Arkley, who was also a native of Quebec. One son has been born to Dr. and Mrs. McKenzie, who bears the name of Clyde J. Dr. McKenzie was a member of the North Dakota state constitutional convention in 1889, and is prominent in public affairs. He is a member of the North Dakota State Medical Association, and for twelve years was superintendent of the Sargent county board of health.
 HON. MAGNUS NELSON, a leading farmer of Hall township, Sargent county, is one of the early settlers of North
Dakota, and has been occupied by various business enterprises, in each of which he has been very successful. He has followed the pursuit of agriculture for many years, and has been a resident of section 25, in Hall township, for the past ten years. He has a well improved estate, and enjoys the comforts of a country home.
Our subject was born in the city of Christiania, Norway, August 15, 1848. He was reared and educated in that city and there learned the trade of a brick mason. He remained there until nineteen years of age when he came to America, in 1868, landing at Quebec, Canada, in May. From thence he went to Chicago, Illinois, where he remained a short time and then went to Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he followed his trade and conducted a brick yard, and engaged in contract work. He remained there two years, and then went to Kansas, from whence after a few months he returned to Chicago. After the great fire in that city he followed contracting and building, in company with his brother, .Adolph Nelson, and remained in Chicago until the spring of 1873, when he returned to Winneshiek county, and followed the same business until the spring of 1880, when he went to Fargo, North Dakota, and was thus engaged for some eighteen months. He went to Richland county, North Dakota, in November, 1881, and settled on section 30, in Wyndniere township, where he lived till the summer of 1884, and then removed to Milnor, and engaged in his former line of business for a short time. He was elected treasurer of Sargent county in the fall of 1884, and the first of the following January assumed the duties of the office. He held the position until January 1, 1889. In the meantime, 1S87, he settled on section 25 in Hall township, where he has since followed farming.
Mr. Nelson was married in Decorah, Iowa, May 30, 1870, to Miss Mary Hermon, a native of Norway . Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have been the parents of seven children, as follows: Matilda, Amelia, Cora, who died in Hall township, Sargent county, at the age of fifteen years; Dorothy, Mabel, Josie and Herbert. Mr. Nelson was elected to the state senate in the fall of 1890, and served one term. He has held various township offices of trust, and is active in public affairs.
HANS J. OSTERN, a prosperous farmer of Hall township, Sargent county, has devoted his entire career to the pursuit of agriculture and is thoroughly posted in the details of farming and has met with marked success since taking up his residence in Dakota. He is an early settler of that region and has improved his own estate and aided in bringing about the present solid prosperity enjoyed in Sargent county. He makes his home on section 25 and every arrangement for the convenience or comfort of the family has been provided.
Our subject was born in Houston county, Minnesota, December 12, 1860, of Norwegian parents. He was the third in a family of eight children born to John E. and Caroline Ostern. .His parents came to America in the '50s and settled in Houston county. Minnesota, where the father died January 28, 1899.
Hans J. Ostern was reared on a farm in his native county and lived there until he was twenty years of age, attending school and assisting his father with the farm work. He went to Dakota in the fall of 1880 and worked at farm labor in Cass county for two years and then purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 25, in Hall township, Sargent county, where he has since resided. He has erected a model residence and made other valuable improvements and is now the owner of two hundred and forty acres of land.
Our subject was married, in Cass county, North Dakota, December 9, 1882, to Miss Anna Friskopp, who was born in Norway, April 30, 1859. Mr. and Ostern are the parents of two children, named John C. and Clara A. Mr. Ostern is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church. He is industrious and honest and well merits his success.
GEORGE G. PASSAGE, a prominent and successful farmer and stock raiser of Bowen township, has been a resident of Sargent county for nearly fifteen years. He is proprietor of a valuable estate, and is deservedly held in high esteem by his associates. He makes his home on section 32. where he has resided continuously since going to that region.
Our subject was born in Schenectady county, New York, February 2, 1845. He was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools and at Mohawk Academy, in Herkimer county. New York, and later taught school in Schenectady county for several years. He resided there until 1885, with the exception of three years spent in Indiana, as clerk and bookkeeper in a general store at Centerville, and one year in the employ of his uncle at farm work in .Michigan. He went to North Dakota in the spring of 1885, and settled on the farm where he now resides, on section 32 in Bowen township. He has erected a complete set of substantial farm buildings, and added other improvements to the place, and is now the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of land, and he engages in general farming and stock raising, meeting with success. He has purchased grain at Towanda, a station on the Soo Railroad near his residence, for the Osborn, McMillin Elevator Company, and is an able business man.
Mr. Passage was married in Schenectady, New York, in 1872, to Miss Melvina Westcott, a native of Schenectady county, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Passage are the parents of live children, as follows: Bertha, Leroy, Nettie G., Lizzie and Mae. Mr. Passage takes an active interest in matters of a public nature, and has been a member of the board of supervisors of Bowen township for two terms, and served as school director. He is a gentleman of good education, and occupies a prominent position in his community.
JENS PEDERSON, who is well known as a prosperous merchant of Milnor, Sargent County. North Dakota, is also vice-president of the Farmers' Mill & Grain Company. He is a gentleman of excellent business capacities and has met with unbounded success in every enterprise in which he has embarked. He has gained a goodly fortune and a host of friends in that region.
Our subject was born in Denmark, June 19, 1855. He was reared in his native land and received a common-school education and learned the trade of a blacksmith and carriage maker. He remained in Denmark until 1873. when he came to America and went direct to Minneapolis. Minnesota, where he followed his trade for five years and then went to Franklin. Renville County, Minnesota, and followed his trade and also engaged in farming. He left Minnesota in 1882 and went to Richland County, North Dakota, where he remained until the spring of 1883. and then located in Sargent County, following his trade in Milnor until 1892. He then engaged in the farm machinery and implement business and in 1895 added general merchandise, which business he has since conducted in addition to his implement trade. He enjoys an extensive patronage and is one of the leading merchants of the village.
Our subject was married, in Renville County, Minnesota, August 20, 1878, to Miss Mary Hoff, a native of Norway. Air. Pederson was one of the first County commissioners of Sargent County and served two years. He was appointed by Governor Shortridge on the board of agriculture of the state and served as a member of the board two years. He takes an active part in all local affairs of a public nature, and has held the various township offices in Milnor township.
HENRY K. PENNINGTON. of the firm of H. K. Pennington & Company, hardware merchants, of Milnor, Sargent county, is one of the well-known business men of that locality, and is possessed of excellent business qualifications. He was born in Houlton, Aroostook county, Maine, March 5, 1857, and was the twelfth in a family of fourteen children born to William E. and Elizabeth L (Slipp) Pennington.
When our subject was about one year of age his parents moved to the province of New
Brunswick, and resided there thirteen years, when they returned to Houlton, Maine, and there our subject continued to reside with them until 1872. He attended the common schools and Houlton Academy, and in 1872 the family moved to Hudson, Wisconsin, after which our subject attended the high-school at Stillwater, Minnesota. He remained with his parents until 1877, and then engaged in farming in Minnesota, and also operated a feed and flour store at Hudson, in company with his brother, Wellington Pennington. He continued in that business till the fall of 1879, when they disposed of the store and went to Fargo, North Dakota, where our subject was employed as clerk in a grocery store for fifteen months, and then went to Minneapolis, where he spent two years, and then returned to Fargo, and was employed as clerk in a grocery house until May, 1885. He then went to Milnor, Sargent county, and engaged in the confectionery business in June of that year, and continued thus until 1890. Soon after disposing of the confectionery he engaged in the farm machinery business with Ole Hansen, and they continued together until February, 1897, when the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Pennington purchased a half interest in the hardware business with John F. McNulty and Andrew Helgeson. and the business is now conducted under the firm name of H. K. Pennington & Company. They carry an extensive stock and enjoy their share of the patronage. Mr. Pennington owns four hundred and eighty acres of land in Sargent and Cass counties, and is counted among the substantial men of his community.
Our subject was married in Milnor, Sargent county. North Dakota, November 26, 1889, to Miss Mary Wolfe, a native of Nicollet county, Minnesota , and a daughter of the late George Wolfe, of that county. Mrs. Pennington organized the first Sunday-school established in Sargent county, and taught the first Sunday-school class. Mr. Pennington is a member of the Masonic fraternity and Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has held the office of school treasurer and township clerk, and is an earnest worker for the better interests of his community.
THOMAS V. PHELPS. Probably no man has been more intimately connected with the business interests of Sargent county than the gentleman whose name heads the present article and his name is connected with the history of the development and growth of the counties in which he has operated. At the present time he is a resident of Milnor, Sargent county, and conducts a general merchandise and live stock business.
Our subject was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, July 3, 1841. He lived with his parents in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota until he attained his majority and attended the common schools and also received a thorough musical education. He purchased a small farm in Fillmore county, Minnesota, at the age of twenty-one and remained there engaged in farming from 1856 to 1876 and also taught music and sold musical instruments. He went from Fillmore county to Morris, Minnesota, and took up a homestead in Stevens county, where he conducted the musical instrument business and teaching in addition to his farming. He remained there until the fall of 1883, when he went to Milnor, North Dakota, and erected the store building which he now occupies and established himself in the mercantile business, and also deals in live stock.
Our subject was married, in Fillmore county, Minnesota, February, 1863, to Miss Anna Tompkins, who was born in Poughkeepsie, New York. Mrs. Phelps died at Milnor, North Dakota, February 25, 1884, leaving two children, as follows: Grace and Edith. Mr. Phelps married Miss Sarah Johnson in Milnor, North Dakota, July 6, 1888. Mrs. Phelps is a native of Norway. Three children have been born of this union, as follows: T. Van, Boyd S. and John R. Mr. Phelps takes an active part in church work and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal denomination. He is prominent in public affairs and to his influence and ability is due much of the present prosperity enjoyed in Sargent and adjoining counties.
HIRAM A. SOULE, is well known throughout Sargent county as a gentleman of excellent business qualifications, and a citizen of true worth. He is one of the firm of Soule Brothers, general merchants of Cogswell, and is an early settler of that region. He is thoroughly acquainted with the country in North Dakota, and for many years engaged in surveying in that locality, and is at present county surveyor of Sargent county.
Our subject was born in North Fairfax, Franklin county, Vermont, March 30, 1853. At the age of ten years he went with his parents to Wisconsin, and the family settled on a farm near Ripon, where he grew to manhood. He received a common-school education, and remained there until 1874, when he went to Yankton, South Dakota, and was employed on the government survey, in which work he has since engaged with the exception of some four or five years. He has worked chiefly in Sargent county under Gen. W. H. H. Beadle. He located permanently in Sargent county, in 1883, when in the spring of that year he pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land in Taylor township, on which he resided for several years. He moved to Cogswell in 1894, and has since engaged in the mercantile business in that town, in company with his brother, John K. Soule, under the firm name of Soule Brothers. He retained his real estate interests, and is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land in Taylor township.
Our subject was married in Glencoe, McCloud county, Minnesota, April 21, 1897, to Miss Julis E. Ryan. Mrs. Soule was born at East Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was a daughter of Patrick and Elizabeth Ryan, of Glencoe, Minnesota Mr. and Mrs. Soule are the parents of one child, a daughter, whom they have named Loretta May. Mr. Soule has held the office of county surveyor of Sargent county for several terms, and is an efficient worker. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
ADAMS C. SMITH. This gentleman is the fortunate owner of one of the fine farms of Vivian township. Sargent county, and is well known as an agriculturist who is doing an extensive business. His farm is well improved, and every arrangement made for the economical conduct of the farm.
Mr. Smith was born in Underhill, Chittenden county, Vermont. March 12, 1849. When he was seven years of age he moved with his parents to Winona county, Minnesota, and the family settled on a farm, where our subject remained until 1881. He received a common school education, and was reared to manhood on the farm. He went to Cass county, North Dakota, in April, 1881, and rented a farm, on which he resided one season, and in June of that year took up a "squatter's claim" to one hundred and sixty acres of land in Vivian township, Sargent county. He makes his home on section 10 of that township, and is the possessor of six hundred and forty acres of land. He engages in general farming, and is one of the well-to-do men of that region.
Our subject was married in Winona county, Minnesota . July 14. 1872, to Miss Alice L. Parkhurs a native of Illinois . Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, named as follows: Herbert E., Edith I., Lester I., Winnie M.. Charles A., Jessie and Edna. Mr. Smith is active in all public matters, and has been called upon to serve in various offices of local importance. He has been county commissioner for two terms, and justice of the peace, township clerk, and held numerous school offices, and is one of the men of Sargent county in whom the people repose their confidence. He is enterprising and honest, and well merits his hard-earned rest through his declining years.
FRANCIS W. VAIL, cashier of the Bank of Sargent County, at Milnor, North
Dakota, is a young man of excellent abilities, and high standing in his community. He is thoroughly conversant with the details of the institution with which he is connected, and his efforts in behalf of the same have been rewarded with success.
Mr. Vail was born at Port
Washington, Wisconsin, March 18, 1864, and was a son of J. W. and Celestia M. (Beals) Vail. The mother is now deceased, and the father survives. Our subject was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools and at the Shattuck Military School, at Faribault, Minnesota, and attended two years at Markham Academy, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He lived in his native place until he attained his majority, when he went to Wahpeton, North Dakota, .and after six months went to Milnor, Sargent county, in November, 1885, since which time he has been engaged in the banking business. He is thorough and practical and is among the prominent business men of that part of the state.
Our subject was married in Milnor, North Dakota, September 4, 1888, to Miss Ella Linton, who was born in Charleston, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Vail are the parents of two children, one son and one daughter, upon whom they have bestowed the names of David L. and Katherine M. Mr. Vail is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He is an earnest worker for the advancement of his town and county and has served in various offices of trust and done very efficient work as a member of the school board. Politically he is a Republican and stands firmly for the principles of the party.
AMBROSE B. WILLEY. This gentleman is one of the leading farmers of Willey township, Sargent county. He is proprietor of a fine estate, on which he conducts general farming, and has met with success. He is one of the earliest settlers of that region and has labored for the advancement of his county and community and the township of Willey was named for him in appreciation of his public services.
Our subject was born in Otsego county. New
York, April 1, 1836. He was reared in Livingston county. New
York, where he lived and followed farming till the spring of 1884, when he removed to Dakota and settled in Willey township, Sargent county. He has resided there continuously since and has improved the place and is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land. His home on section 18. is well located and every convenience of modern farming facilitates the work.
Our subject was married, in Livingston county. New York , March 13. 1856, to Miss Catherine Diffenbacher, who was born in that county, April 6. 1840. Mr. and Mrs. Willey are the parents of four children, who bear the following names: Elmer. Norman, Ida and Newton . Mr. Willey has held numerous township offices and in all matters of a public nature he will always be found on the side of right and justice. He is an influence for good in his community and his life and labors in North Dakota have been for the up building of the county and state. He is industrious and honest and well merits his success.
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