TWO GREAT MEN WHO TOUCHED THE LIVES OF THE ENGER PIONEERS

I love old obituaries! Yes, I know, I’m weird—but my friend and relatives have known that for a long time.  The old obituaries told all about the lives and times of the deceased, usually in very flowery language, and they are a real boon to genealogists.  Recently I have run across the “last words” written about two men who were influential in the lives of the early immigrants.

Both of these obituaries were with the belongings of my father who passed away in 1982, and have survived the rigors of time and many moves just a little worse for the wear.  These men were contemporaries of one another, although probably never met as they worked in different communities and moved in different circles, but each left their mark in the memories of the people they served.

Both of these obituaries give a clear picture of life on the frontier, some of the hardships endured by the pioneers, and the remarkable people who helped them through.

The first obituary is of Rev. Styrk Reque, an immigrant from Voss, Norway, who served the church at Spring Grove, Minnesota for many years and would have confirmed, baptized and buried members of the Peder and Elling Enger families.

Rev. St. S. Reque

Spring Grove, Houston Co., Minnesota

September 1, 1910

Our Beloved Pastor Has Gone to His Reward

Rev. Styrk Sjursen Reque was born at Voss, Norway, Nov. 27, 1836.  In 1845 he came with his parents to Koshkonong, Wisconsin.  He attended the Madison High School three years and the University of Wisconsin.  In 1861 he went to St. Louis where he studied at Concordia college one year and at Concordia Theological Seminary three years.

In 1861 he was called to take charge of Roche a Cree, Lemonweir and Newport congregations in Wisconsin.  There he worked until 1871 when he accepted a call from Spring Grove, Wilmington and Black Hammer congregations, Houston County, Minn.  

He was installed in Wilmington, Sept. 27, 1871, and in Spring Grove and Black Hammer Sept. 28.  In 1876 Rev. Reier Larsen became his assistant, and in 1880 Rev. E.P. Jenson was called as assistant.  In 1894 the parish was divided and Rev. Reque from now on served Spring Grove and Wilmington.  Rev. H. J. Wein was called as assistant pastor by Spring Grove and Wilmington in Oct. 1902, and took charge of his work Feb. 1903.  In Dec. 1908 the parish was once more divided. Wilmington and Caledonia formed a new parish and called Rev. Wein. Rev. Reque continued to serve Spring Grove until his death, Aug. 21, 1910.

In 1865 he was married to Cecillia Anderson, from Koshkonong, Wis.  They had the following nine children:  Syver, dentist, Westby, Wis.; Peter, doctor, Brooklyn, NY; Willhelm, dentist, Prairie Farm, Wis.; Gerhard, electrical engineer; Otto, mail clerk, DeForest, Wis.; Walter, railroad station agent, Grand Haven, ND; Mrs. Anna Katherine Muller, Iola, Wis; Mrs. Sara Louise Ceceilia Omlie, Glenwood, Minn.; and Lars, druggist, Mylo, ND.

            After about three weeks sickness, Rev. Reque died in the faith of “Christ Jesus who came into the world to save sinners.” His long service in the Lord’s vineyard is now ended.  His influence for good has been great, and long will he be missed and remembered by the thousands he came in contact with.

            One of the largest, if not the largest, gathering of people in Spring Grove was present, from far and near, to pay the last respect and love to him who had faithfully labored among them.

            Rev. Kristian Magelssen spoke at the house. After singing the hymn 455, Prof. Dr. H. G. Stub spoke in the church, using for his text Revelations 14, 15. Then followed hymn 456, 1, 2.  Rev. O. P. Vangness spoke to the congregation using as his text Philippians 4, 9.  The church choir then sang a touching funeral hymn.

            Rev. K. Seehus spoke in English.  His text was the first verse of Psalm 73.  After the singing of the Doxology, Prof. C. K. Preus spoke in behalf of Luther College, Rev. P. Koren, (next few words obliterated) V. Koren, Rev. H. Halvorson spoke on behalf of La Crosse Special Conference and for four of Rev. Reque’s first confirmants from Wisconsin.  Rev. G. Magelssen spoke for Church Extension.  Rev. Kasberg and Wein spoke on behalf of their congregations.  The services in the church closed with singing hymn 375, 5-7.  At the grave Rev. H. J. Wein officiated.

            The pallbearers were members of Spring Grove congregation, eight of the ministers and his sons.  Among the ministers present were also M. Bleken, Thomas Nilson and Rev. Pankow. To mention the names of all who came from a distance to be present at the funeral is impossible.  We noticed Dr. and Mrs. Stabo and Prof. Svanoe from Decorah, Iowa, Dr. Gunderson, of La Cross, Wis.
            The remains lay in state from 11 A. M. until 1 P. M. in the church.  The floral tributes were many and beautiful.

            In Spring Grove there was sorrow, it was a solemn occasion when so many gathered in their house of worship to see him for the last time who now lay lifeless before them.  But in heaven he rejoiced and will through eternity rejoice, for blessed are the dead which died in the Lord.

           The second article is of Dr. Walter Beck, a country doctor in Hanley Falls, Minnesota where Ed and Hannah Enger and other relatives were raising their families. He would have been the doctor that assisted in the births of my father and his siblings in Hanley Falls and he was a friend and hunting companion of my grandfather Ed Enger. 

Granite Falls Tribune – August 1916

                           “I hope to meet up with Mack when I die.  He was my best friend.”

The passing of Dr. Beck deserves more than the ordinary obituary notice.  The ending of a life so different from that of the average man, a life so varied, so crowded with experiences and full of events.  A man who would have been more at home in the adventurous life of the 14th century than living the modified form required by the 20^th.  Because of this, Dr. Beck was a character and there was perhaps no man better known in western Minnesota than he.  Positive in his likes, and also in his dislikes, he was either a friend or an enemy.  There was nothing neutral, nothing luke-warm about Dr. Beck.  His beliefs were absolute and he had the courage to defend them no matter what the odds.

Dr. Beck first comes to our memory as a member of the 13^th Minnesota in the Spanish American War.  Enlisting as a member of the hospital division, this proved too quiet so he changed to the duties of a private soldier that he might enjoy the excitement of battle.  Later he was again detailed to medical duty and put in charge of a hospital.

It would take more than the discipline of military life to down the personality of this man and he was not loath to express his views as the following incident from John Bowe’s book, “With the Thirteenth Minnesota” will prove.  Mr. Bowe describes this leaving of the Minnesota regiment from Frisco over the “City of Para” for Manila, the boat having been hastily fitted up for a troopship. She has three decks. The upper having staterooms, was occupied by the officers; the middle by the band, hospital corps and some choice selected non-coms; while on the lower deck, in long rows of bunks, three tiers high, with only width for one man to pass through was the rank and file.  Alongside each bunk was a small tin vessel to hold the occupant’s contribution to the “God of the Angry Sea.”  We went down two decks and the sentry ordered us down another one, the lowest in the ship.  One man looked down and remarked to another soldier, “For God’s sake, they are not going to put us down there?  Why it is not fit to put cattle down in that hole.”  Colonel Reeve heard the remark and roared out, “Arrest that man and if he says another word put him in irons.”  The sentry marched the man away.  I looked at the strong, wide face and heavy jaw and recognized Dr. Beck of Company I, one of the most popular men in the regiment; he had vaccinated me at Camp Merritt.  Later I saw him, when the American line was in front of Caloocan, ride out in front of the firing line on horseback and take observations through his spy glass, while goo-goo bullets raised the dust all around him.  He refused three different commissions to go into other regiments and was later in charge of our regimental hospital at Malate, and many of the boys owe their lives to him.  Yet, now, he was under arrest, and at the close of the war was mustered out with the regiment as he went in—a private solder.”

At other places in John Bowe’s book are told incidents concerning Beck’s life while with the army in the Philippines.  Once while on outpost duty, a soldier by the name of Grimes was shot through the mouth and fell into the water of a rice field.  A Colorado doctor who was on medical detail with the company looked him over and walked away, saying that he wouldn’t live 15 minutes.  Beck climbed down out of a tree in which he was stationed, the bullets zipping on all sides of him and tearing open a first aid package, plugged the hole in the roof of Grimes’ mouth with cotton.  The act nearly choked Grimes and he coughed the cotton again.  Again Beck plugged the hole and again the wounded man coughed it out.  Once more the doctor plugged the bullet hole, and Grimes mercifully fainting just then, he was enabled to stop the flow of blood.  Then taking the man onto his back, the doctor carried him to where he could be put into an ambulance.  Grimes is today a resident of Minneapolis.

There was no job too hazardous or no chance too slim but what Dr. Beck would offer his services.  The tighter the place the better he seemed to enjoy it.  Fear seemed to have no place in his make-up and throughout the entire war his absolute disregard for danger made him the most popular solider in the regiment.

Returning to the U. S. after the war, Dr. Beck settled in Hanley Falls to practice his profession.  The town was small but that seemed to make no difference to the doctor, he enjoyed his work, did his best, and it was not long before the name of Dr. Beck was known throughout this part of the state.  But it is by his charity work he will be the longest remembered.  Of course, if you had money and were a patient of his, you would be charged, the same as any other doctor would charge you.  But if you had no money Dr. Beck was as ready to aid you, and perhaps more so, than if you possessed a million.  Many a poor man and woman, boy and girl owe their existence today to this same Dr. Beck.

Dr. Beck appeared to have but one recreation, and that was hunting.  Everything connected with this afforded him joy.  He was rated as one of the best shots with either rifle or shotgun in the state and his dog kennels were known over the entire country.  His dogs were all registered of the highest breeds and had won numerous medals at the shows.  He often had as many as twenty in his kennels.

(Partly obscured)  The making of Dr. Beck’s marksmanship (obscured) in the days when the (town?) was wet.  From his office the doctor spied a section hand walking down the track swinging a jug by the bail.  Getting his rifle, and waiting for an opportunity when he could shoot and not hurt the man, the doctor pinged away, drilling a neat little hole about a half inch above the bottom of the can.  It went in and out, but not a sound did the carrier hear, and many has been the laugh over the man’s amazement and disgust when, upon reaching the rest of the crew, he opened the can only to find the amber fluid had all leaked out along the track.

In 1911 Dr.Beck moved his office to Clarksfield, this town being more in the center of his territory, and with him went the (obscured) energy that had done considerable in raising Hanley Falls from the lethargy of most small towns.

As for his work in Clarksfield, we quote The Advocate:  “In his work as health officer and as a member of the humane society, he made a number of enemies, but he did what he though was right regardless of consequences.  The doctor was a man who was rather outspoken, but never beat around the bush and you could always know just where he stood.”

The doctor’s one best friend was his dog “Mack” and the picture at the head of this story shows the two together.  The doctor had shot hundred’s of gaming birds over Mack.  About a year ago, Mack’s eyes began to fail and the doctor took him to Minneapolis where he was under the care of a specialist, but without avail.  Shortly after his dog’s death, the doctor said to a friend:  “Mack was a thorough gentleman.  He never lied to me.  When I die I hope to meet up with Mack.”

The one mania possessed by Dr. Beck was for speed.  No matter where he wanted to go, he must get there FAST.  He was a terror on horseflesh, and since the day of the automobile there had been no car made too fast for him.  To this mania the fatal injuries Dr. Beck received are due.  He had been to Granite August 20, to attend a ball game between Granite and Clarksfield.  The game did not go just as the doctor would have it and Clarksfield lost.  On the way back, the doctor had no sooner hit the state road than he opened the gas wide open and passed the other speeding cars at a furious rate.  When about three miles this side of Clarksfield his car struck the rear end of another which he was attempting to pass, throwing the car into the ditch and hurling the occupants onto the ground. 

Dr. Beck received a multiple fracture of the skull, while the other four people with him were less seriously injured.  The doctor was taken to the St. Barnabas Hospital in Minneapolis and it was there he died Monday morning a week ago.

He is survived by a sister, three nieces and a nephew, all living in Indianapolis.  The body was taken to Delphi, Indiana, his boyhood home, for interment Wednesday.