HISTORY OP GOODHUE COUNTY 819 .Minnesota. In polities Mr. Nesseth is a Republican and the fam- ily worship at the Minneola Evangelical Lutheran Church, which he helped to organize and was one of the trustees for many years. He was also a member of the first board of directors of the Wana- mingo, Cherry Grove and Minneola Fire Insurance Company, which he always helped to promote. He has been a member of the school board in his district. Mr. Nesseth has made all he has by hard work and the family arc highly respected by all their friends and neighbors. W. Edwin Peterson, of Minneola, was born in the township April 27, 1870, son of Christian Peterson. During his early years he attended school in district No. 65 and the Zumbrota grammar school, finishing his education at the Beeman's Business College in Red Wing. After leaving college he rented the home farm of his father, which he conducted for several years. In 1902 he bought a farm in Pine county, moving on to it the next year. In the fall of 1901 he returned to Minneola. where he has a farm of 160 acres, containing good buildings, which he has named Grand View, on which he conducts diversified farming, making a specialty of Shropshire sheep. Mr. Peterson was married in Zumbrota in May. 1894, to Mary L. Berg, daughter of C. 0. Berg, of Red Wing. This union has been blessed with nine children — Mildred A., Ronald L., Theodora E., Chester E., Leonora E., Wil- helm C Beatrice M., Christian M.. and Alfred L. Mr. Peterson is a Republican in his political views, and he and his family attend the Lutheran Church. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. Herman Pirius, a prosperous, progressive and hard-working farmer of Minneola township, was born in Prussia, Germany, May 3, 1850, and came to America in the fall of 1869, locating in Minneola township, where he rented land and engaged in farm- ing. In 1875 he had prospered sufficiently to purchase 160 acres in section 12. This land he developed, erected a house and out- buildings, and improved in various ways. He carries on general farming, and is said to have one of the finest quarter-section farms in the county. Mr. Pirius came to America as a poor boy, and has never had financial assistance, acquiring all he possesses by his own hard work. Although he had but little chances for acquiring an education himself, he is a thorough believer in the public school system, and has ably served district No. 94 as treasurer for many years. In addition to his farm property he is a stockholder in the Farmers' elevator, of Zumbrota. By his wife, Mary Theada, whom he married in April, 1873, Mr. Pirius has seven children — Tillie, Mary, Martha and Alvina, who are married, and Theresa. Clara and Herman, who are single. The family worships at the Lutheran Church.
