Benson, Emory J.

Emory Joseph Benson, his wife Jane; daughter Ella B. Calhoun and son Clarence.
Came to Osceola County in 1882. Emory is Bud Benson's great grandfather.

Emory J. Benson (born July 26, 1836) and Jane Ann Van Sickle (born March 20, 1938), were married November 9, 1859, in Huron County in Ohio.  That year they left Ohio and settled on a farm in Clayton County, Iowa, for a short time before moving to Shelby County north of Walnut.  Emory Benson served as corporal in the 166th Ohio Infantry in 1864, during the Civil War.

In 1882, they left Shelby County and came to Osceola County and located in Allison Twp., Section 9.  They were the parents of Leola Ann (Ella) Calhoun, Clarence Emory and Alma Logan.

He bought a half section for $7.00 an acre and raised corn, oats, hay and eventually flax.  The nearest mill was near Milford and the grain was hauled there to be processed.  A load of lumber was purchased or traded for the return trip the following day.  Oxen were used to haul the loads.  The horns of these oxen are on display at the home of his great grandson, Harold (Bud) Benson.

They first lived in a sod house.  In 1883, they built a two story home.  The original house frame, now remodeled, is occupied by his great grandson and family.

Emory plowed government land near May City for $1.00 an acre.  He took the money he earned and built the barn that still is in use.

After Emory retired, his son Clarence farmed the land.  Eventually it was farmed by Clarence's son, Harold Logan Benson.  Today it is farmed by Harold James (Bud) Benson.  Harold J. and his family now live on this Osceola County Century Farm.

Benson, Clarence and Maud

Maud & Clarence wedding picture

Clarence E. Benson was born January 1, 1870, and Maud Catherine Logan was born March 3, 1876.

Clarence came to northwest Iowa in 1882, from Shelby Co. with his parents, Emory J. and Jane Van Sickle Benson, and settled in Allison Township, Sec. 9.  Maud came from Black Hawk County with her parents, John and Catherine Murdock Logan in 1895.

Maud taught school for several years in the Chain Lake area.  They were married in her parents home near Harris on June 29, 1897.  For their wedding trip they went to San Francisco, California, as delegate to a local church convention.

After their marriage they settled on the Benson farm in Allison Township with his parents, the Emory Bensons.

They were the parents of two children:  Ruth Millicent and Harold Logan.

Both Clarence and Maud loved to travel.  They made many trips to Black Hawk County and Shelby County.  They traveled to Mexico several times and they and their daughter Ruth took a trip to the Grand Canyon where Clarence rode the pack animal from the rim to the floor of the canyon.  In the 1940's the three of them took a two week trip to Cuba and surrounding area.

Their church, family and community always were more important (precious) to them than self gratification.

Bergman, Albert

Back row: Louise, Richard, John
Center: Albert (father), Martha, Emma, Anna, Emilie (mother)
Front: Edith, Mina, Fred

Albert L. Bergman was born in Pommern, Germany, May 20, 1855, and married Emille Carolyn Koch, born July 18, 1857, also at Pommern.

They came to America to the Sterling, Illinois, area in 1885.  Two of their children, Richard and Louise, were born in Germany, and John just two months after they landed in America.

The family moved from Sterling, Illinois, to a farm southeast of Harris in 1902.  Grandson Jeff Stahly now owns and operates this Bergman place.

In 1918, the Bergmans retired to Spirit Lake.

Albert died March 14, 1924, and Emille February 16, 1948.

The family consisted of nine children:  Richard, Louise (Mrs. Perry Rickabaugh); John; Emma (Mrs. Jake Miller); Anna (Mrs. Fred Schmidt); Martha (Mrs. Ed Wise); Edith; Mina; Fred.

All are deceased except Mina who is a resident at Hill Top Nursing Home in Spirit Lake.

Bergman, John and Tena

John Bergman was born to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Bergman just two months after they arrived in America from Pommern, Germany, in 1885.  The family settled in Sterling, Illinois, and in 1902, they moved to Lake Park, Iowa.

In 1910, John married Tena Miller, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Abbe Miller of Harris.  They began farming one mile south and three-fourths mile west of Harris in 1910.  They purchased a farm one mile northeast of Harris in 1917, and lived there until their retirement in Harris.  The farm is now owned by their son, James Bergman and family and operated by their son Bill.

The Bergmans were active in community affairs.  He was an elder in St. John's Lutheran Church, served on the Harris Consolidated School Board in the 1920's, director of Osceola County Mutual Insurance, Township Trustee, etc.  She was a charter member of St. John's Lutheran Church (1901), active in Farm Bureau, Women's Club, The H.S. Club and other community activities.

John Bergman died in 1966, and Tena in 1973.

The Bergmans had three sons:  Irvin of Harris, Cecil (deceased) and James of Sibley.

Brueggeman, Henry and Family

Henry J. Brueggeman and Maggie Florence Ihnen were married December 13, 1921.  They were engaged in farming and operated a corn sheller and trucking business for many years.

Henry J. Brueggeman, son of Adolf and Hattie (Hasstedt) Brueggeman, was born January 3, 1899, at Boone, Iowa.  In 1908, he came with his parents to a farm near Ocheyedan, Iowa.  Maggie Florence Ihnen, daughter of Albert and Bertha (Fechter) Ihnen, was born March 11, 1902, in O'Brien County, Iowa.

After their marriage they lived on a farm near Worthington, Minnesota.  In 1927, they moved to a farm on the west edge of Harris, and became members of St. John's Lutheran Church.  They also had a corn sheller and trucking business for many years.  In December, 1941, they moved to a farm three and one half miles northwest of Harris, where Henry passed away on February 1, 1956.

Maggie moved to Harris in 1958.  She and Lester Heppler were married September 8, 1959; he passed away October 5, 1973.  Maggie moved to the Golden Years Apartment in Sept, 1974.  She entered the Lake Park Care Center in October, 1977, and passed away there February 14, 1893.

Their children:  Della Mae Rubsam of Harris, Marlyn (Bud) of Lake Park, and Elaine Mehan of Millford.

Brumley, Daniel

Daniel and Mary Martha (Mamie) Brumley moved to the Harris area in 1918, from Bussey, Iowa.  They were of Scotch and Irish descent.  They lived on the farm south of Harris now owned by Don Dillehay.  They moved into Harris in 1963.

Nine children were born to this family; Clemme (Dillehay), Victor, Rosetta (Bergman), Clinton, Jenny (King), Irene (Louscher), Gladys (Louscher), Two children died in infancy.  Three are still living; Clemme Dillehay, Irene Louscher and Gladys Louscher.

Dan and Mamie lived to celebrate their 67th wedding anniversary.  He passed away at age 87, and she at 91, in Paulina.

Burgeson, William and family

William Burgeson was the sixth of seven sons born to Andrew and Nickalena  Burgeson, who had immigrated from Sweden and Norway, and settled near Alta, Iowa, in 1875.  William was born there on June 14, 1882.  At the age of 26, he married Zona Hunter at Linn Grove, Iowa.  Soon after, they moved to Oahes, North Dakota, where their three children, Blanche (of Spencer), Hazel (Mrs. Clarence Wimmer) of Harris, and Helen (Mrs. Floyd Roberts) now deceased, were born.

William's first wife Zona died in 1919.  He then moved back to Iowa, where he was married to Helen Miller of Ottumwa.  Three children were born of that marriage-Roger (now deceased), Russell of Harris, and Grace (Mrs. Robert Miller) of Charles City

William farmed three miles south and two and one half east of Harris for a number of years.  He retired from farming in 1953, and moved into the town of Harris.

William's last years were spent supervising his farm, traveling and playing Wahoo with his pals in Jim Purviance's Hardware Store in Harris.  He died September 25, 1961, and was buried in Elk Cemetery north of Alta.

Burk, Jacob and Family

Jacob J. Burk and Luella Melissa Knutzen were married March 13, 1896.  They farmed west of Harris until they moved into town in 1920.  Jacob worked as a carpenter and painter.  Luella provided room and board for teachers.  She also did baking of bread, etc. for others.

The Burks were active in the Methodist Church.  Luella served as Ladies Aid president for seventeen years and Jacob served as custodian until 1936, when his health failed.  Luella was a member of the Keeping Up Club and Rebekah Lodge.  Jacob belonged to Odd Fellows.  He enjoyed dressing up as a clown for events and did magic tricks and played Jews harp and bones.

Jacob was born in Allamakee County July 19, 1870, and died of cancer in Harris, August 26, 1938.  Luella was born in Chadron, Nebraska, July 21, 1879, and died in the Sibley Hospital on Easter Sunday, April 17, 1949.