HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY 937 Kells was educated in the common schools of New York and later attended a commercial school in AVisconsin. He came to Minne- sota in 1857 and settled in Wacouta township, where he worked at his trade of blacksmith for several years. Afterward he moved to Hay Creek township, where he has since resided, and carried on general farming and stock raising, also devoting a part of his time to blacksmithing, having a well equipped shop on the farm. He owns 200 acres of land, of which eighty-three are under culti- vation, the place being managed by his son. Mr. Kells was mar- ried in Wisconsin to Naomi Stewart, a native of Maine. The mother died when her daughter Naomi was small, and the father moved to "Wisconsin, where he died. Mr. and Mrs. Kells have seven children : James, of Minneapolis, and Alice, Alfred, Henry, Sarah, William, and George, all of whom live at home. Mr. Kells is Republican in politics, and has served as town supervisor and justice of the peace for a number of years. He belongs to the Masonic Lodge of Red Wing. Gust Ekblad has devoted his life to farming. He was born in Sweden in May, 1868, and was brought to this country by his parents while still an infant, spending his early boyhood in Vasa, where they settled. His father, Peter, who is still living, is men- tioned in the sketch of Albert Ekblad, found in this volume. Gust attended the common schools of Vasa, and went to Mower county with his parents in early young manhood. For many years he has been a farmer in Hay Creek township. Of his eighty- five and a half acres, forty-five are under the plow, and on this place he carries on general farming and stock raising. He sells butter and makes a specialty of raising Plymouth Rock fowls. Among other improvements he has sunk a good well, from which is obtained pure sparkling water for stock and household pur- poses. Mr. Ekblad is an independent voter and is now serving as road master of Hay Creek. He was married in 1896 to Jennie, the daughter of Thomas Perrott and Susan (Bryan) Perrott, and to this union have been born three children, Elizabeth An- netta, Ruby Jeanette and Violet Evelyn. Albert Helmeke, an honest, law-abiding citizen of Hay Creek township, has spent his entire life in this county, and has wit- nessed its development into one of the most prosperous sections of the state. He was born October 2, 1862, his parents being Henry and Ricke (Lenke) Helmeke, natives of Germany. They came to America in 1857, and for a time lived in Indiana, until drawn to this part of the country by the reports that many of their fellow countrymen were attaining prosperity and success on the rich acres of the then newly developed Goodhue county. They settled in Hay Creek township, and there remained many years. In his latter years the father sold out and moved to Red Wing.
