Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/930

 800 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY general farming and dairying. In 1886 he was married to Carrie Ringdahl, daughter of Mathias and Isabelle (Satren) Ringdahl, the former of whom, also known as Mathias Pederson, will ever be held in honored memory as the first Norwegian in the county. To Mr. and Mrs. Berg have been born five children: Myrtle, Olga, Edel and Inga, all at home, and Thorvald, deceased. Mr. Berg has served as town clerk for some years and is now serving as assessor. He is president of the Farmers' Elevator and a di- rector of the Farmers' Insurance Company of Goodhue county. In politics Mr. Berg is an independent voter. Charles W. Perry, of Pine Island township, was born in Ger- many, January 17, 1842, son of Christ Perry, and in 1855 came to America and settled in Ohio, where he remained for five years. In 1860 he came to Minnesota and located in Pine Island town- ship, where he bought 160 acres of land, which he improved and prepared for cultivation. Here he built his home, hauling all the lumber from Red AVing for the purpose. When he had harvested his crops he hauled them to Red Whig and Lake City with ox team, and spent many nights on the prairie. His efforts have prospered and he now has a fine farm with good buildings and carries on general farming, dairying and stock raising. All of his land, with the exception of fifty acres, is under cultivation. His son, to whom he has presented eighty acres, also carries on general farming. In 1869 C. AY. Perry was married to Bertha Kumbier, by whom he has had ten children: Frank manages the farm; Emma, married William Schumacher, of Lake City; Au- gusta, married William Coilinge, of Zumbrota ; August and John are deceased; Carl lives in St. Paul; Anna married Albert Ihrke, of Pine Island ; Bertha, Louise, and Minnie, at home. Mr. Perry is a Republican in his politics, and he and his family attend the Lutheran church. Benjamin Lewis, of Pine Island township, was born in Nor- way, June 21, 1846, son of L. C. and Annie (Moe) Lewis, who came to America in 1875 and settled in Zumbrota, where they engaged in farming. The mother died in 1888 and the father in 1905. Benjamin Lewis received his education in the public schools of Norway, and came to this country in 1866, settling in Zum- brota township, where he bought land and engaged in farming. In 1875 he went to Pine Island township, where he has eight y acres, of which seventy is under cultivation, on which he follows general farming and raises stock. In 1873 Mr. Lewis was married to Mattie Pederson, and they have five children : Adolph, farmer ; Melvin, assistant postmaster at Pine Island; Carl, Arthur and Amanda, who are at home. Two children died, at the ages of fifteen and four years, respectively. Mr. Lewis has a nice farm, well improved, and a fine home. He is Republican in his politics