There were 773 visitors from 5 Nov 2005 to 4 Jul 2011. There were 373 visitors to this page from 5 Nov 2001 until its move to this site on 5 Nov 2005.
Peder Quaal, one of the prominent and successful farmers of Ten Mile Lake township, Lac-qui-parle county, comes of Norwegian nativity, and is a worthy representative of the best traits of his race and blood. He was born on a farm in Trondhym, Norway, in 1844. His father was a farmer, who lived and died in his native land. Peder Quaal was the fifth member of a family of six children, and received such educational advantages as the times afforded. He spent his boyhood and youth in fishing, and in mastering the carpenter trade. As a young man he served his time in the army, and was then free to follow his own devices. In 1871 he came to the United States, and locating in Ishpeming, Michigan, for five years worked in the iron mines in that vicinity. Here he was married in 1872 to Miss Annie Bye. She was also born in Norway, and has proved in every way a helpful companion to her husband. They have had a family of ten children: Andrew, Mary, Olaf, Matilda, Crist, Rudolph, Severt, Anna, Petra and Adolph.
In 1876 Mr. Quaal brought his family to Lac-qui-parle county and settled on a preemption claim in section 1, Ten Mile Lake township. Here he put up a small house, 14x16 feet, and entered upon the development of his wild prairie land. For four years he used oxen in doing his farm work, and then got him some good horses. His nearest market town was Benson, thirty-seven miles away, and like other settlers of those early days he has remembrances of hard times and much suffering, the winter of 1880-81 being most vivid in his memory for its deep snows, its protracted cold, and the difficulty of securing needed provisions.
Mr. Quaal owns a farm of one hundred and forty-four acres, with good buildings and all the machinery the place requires. The grove, which is very thrifty, was planted by himself and was almost his first work on the place. He has some fruit trees and is generally well fixed.
Mr. Quaal is a Republican, and helped in the organization of the township, and was one of its first supervisors. He has also been on the town board.
From: Compendium of History and Biography of Central and Northern Minnesota (Chicago, Geo. A. Ogle & Co., 1904), page 346.
John P. Quist, who for nearly half a century has been identified with the agricultural interests of Chisago county, Minnesota, resides on his well improved estate in Chisago Lake township.
Mr. Quist was born in Sweden in 1836. He was reared in his native land and at the age of eighteen years came to America with his parents. His father, Pete Person, settled on the farm now occupied by our subject, in section 9 of Chisago Lake township, and they were among the first families of the locality. They lived in a dugout for three and a half years and then built a log house. They carried their supplies from Taylors Falls and Marine on their backs. Our subject remained at home and assisted his father until the death of the latter in 1892. The mother died in 1881. Our subject has since bought the land, and he has conducted farming thereon since the death of his father. He had two brothers who served in the Civil war. Mr. Quest [sic] is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of valuable land and cultivates about sixty acres, and devotes the rest of the farm to pasture, meadow, and timber. He has met with success in his farming operations and has erected a set of good buildings and built a comfortable rural home.
Mr. Quist was married in 1871 to Miss Mary Carlson. Mrs. Quist was born in Sweden and came to the United States about 1867. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Quist, namely: Charles, Hulda, Alma, Josie A., and Mary Alice. Mr. Quist takes an active part in local public affairs and has served as road overseer. He is a member of the Lutheran church. In political faith he is a Republican.
From: Compendium of History and Biography of Central and Northern Minnesota (Chicago, Geo. A. Ogle & Co., 1904), page 438.
There were 773 visitors from 5 Nov 2005 to 4 Jul 2011. There were 373 visitors to this page from 5 Nov 2001 until its move to this site on 5 Nov 2005.
Tim Stowell / Chattanooga, TN
© 2001 - 2011