Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/995

 IIISTOKY OF OOODIHT. COUNTY 857 and Red Wing, being taughl al the latter place by Rev. -I. VY. Bancock. He worked on the farm with his father until 18(iS, when he rented eighty acres which he farmed, also running a threshing machine for five years. In 1869 he purchased eighty acres in Belvidere township. This was wild land, which he broke, improved and cultivated. In 1872 he purchased the homestead, adding eighty acres, making a farm of 210 acres, on which he conducts general farming and stock raising. Mr. George was married June 10, 1874, to Caroline [sensee of Belvidere township, daughter of Henry and Caroline (Opperman) Isensee, natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. George have been blessed with ten children: Alex II., a druggist of Chicago, died at the age of 26 years; Charles L., is a dentist of Park Rapids, Minn.; Maud married Martin McHugh of North Dakota; Alfred P. is a dentist of Chicago; William II. lives at home; Caroline L. is a teacher living at home; Julia M., Grover C. and Florence E. live at home, and Julius died in infancy. Mr. George is a Democrat in his political views and has taken an active interest in public life, being a representative in the State Legislature from Goodhue county in 1879. He has also served as county commissioner, was town supervisor one year, chairman for fifteen years, also clerk of school district 33 for twenty years, assessor for twelve years, and justice of the peace for twenty-five years. The family attend the Lutheran and Episcopal churches. Julius H. Isensee, Belvidere township, was born in Frontenac, August 14, 1860, son of Henry and Caroline (Opperman) Isensee, natives of Germany, who came to America in 1853, locating in Lockport, X. Y., where the father was employed on the suspen- sion bridge for a short time. He came west to St. Paul, Minn., the same year and in 1854 located in Frontenac, where they pur- chased a home, later taking a homestead of 160 acres in Florence township, where the father carried on general farming and worked at his trade of stone mason until the spring of 1869, when he sold his home and farm and bought 160 acres in Belvi- dere township, to which he added until he had 240 acres. They retired from active life in 1889. The father died in May, 1907, and the mother in September, 1906. Julius H. received his edu- cation in the public schools of Frontenac and Belvidere, after which he took up farming until 1881, when he learned the black- smith's trade, which he followed for five years, in Red Wing. In 1886 he purchased eighty acres of improved land and carried on general farming for five years. Later he sold this land, pur- chasing another eighty acres, where he built a home and other necessary buildings, adding to his land until now he has 240 acres under cultivation. He carries on general fanning and stock raising, and has erected a modern stock barn. He was