St. Croix County Biographies and Historical Sketches

HOME

 St. Croix County Townships Map | St. Croix County (1909) | Early History of St. Croix County | Villages, Townships & Municipalities | St. Joseph, Troy & Warren Townships | Stanton & Star Prairie Townships | Rush River, Somerset & Springfield Townships | Richmond Township, City of New Richmond | Kinnickinnic & Pleasant Valley Townships | Hudson Township & City of Hudson | Forest, Glenwood & Hammond Townships | Eau Galle, Emerald and Erin Townships | Baldwin, Cady & Cylon Townships
U
Ulsaker, Utman

Ulsaker

Rev. S. K. Ulsaker, pastor of the United Lutheran church at Woodside, town of Rush River, St. Croix county, is an ideal pastor, loved and revered by the members of his flock and respected by the people of other denominations. He was born in Norway, February 16, 1860, coming of good old Norwegian parentage, his kinsmen having for generations been noted for purity of life and staunchness of character. His father, Knut Ulsaker, was a farmer in Norway all his life, apssing away in 1876. The mother, whose maiden name was Marget Finseth, was called to her reward in 1902. S. K. Ulasaker attended the common schools and then spent two years at St. Olaf academy at Northfield, Minn. This was supplemented with five years at the Lutheran college at Decorah, Iowa, after which he graduated from the Evangelical Lutheran seminary at Columbus, Ohio. Being thus ably equipped in training, education, character and faith for the Christian ministry, he was ordained at Northfield, Minn., September 19, 1886. In the same year he took up the ministry in Brown county, South Dakota, remaining for six years. In 1892 he came to Baldwin, St. Croix county, and took charge of four churches. In this work he was particularly successful, laboring night and day for the spiritual welfare and material success of his four parishes, winning the love and esteem of every communicant with whom he came in contact. In 1896 the four parishees were divided, and the Rev. Ulsaker was given charge of the Woodside church, where he has labored faithfully. With all his success he has kept his simplicity of character and anyone in trouble or distress always finds in him a warm and fatherly friend and counsellor. Mr. Ulsaker was married June 14, 1887, to Amelia Sethre, of Lanesboro, Minn., daughter of John and Martha (Stenshoel) Sethre, natives of Norway, who came to America and became prominent farmers of Fillmore county, Minnesota, both being now deceased. Mrs. Ulsaker died April 25, 1903, at La Crosse, Wis., after an operation. She was a woman of beautiful character and will long be sincerely mourned by a wide circle of friends. She left beside her husband, three children to revere her memory: Carl J. was born April 17, 1888; Marcus O. was born March 17, 1890, and is now a student at St. Olafs college; Hjalmar was born December 5, 1892, and is a student at the Baldwin High school. Mr. Ulsaker was for six years a visitor to the Hudson division of the United Lutheran denomination. He is a republican in politics and takes a deep interest in all public events, being a warm friend of education. He is a large-hearted, clear-headed man and an upright Christian gentleman.

(taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909)

Utman

Bernice W. Utman, mayor of Hudson, was born in Ontario, Canada, January 15, 1871, son of Henry and Lavina (Broeffle) Utman, natives of New York State. In later life they removed to California and engaged in farming. The father passed away in 1904 at the age of seventy-five years. Bernice received a good education in the public schools of his native town and then took a business course, removing to California at the age of sixteen years. He spent several years in the Golden Gate State, being employed as an agent for the Union Ice Company. In 1894 he removed to Barron county, Wisconsin, and engaged variously in farming and shipping. In 1903 he engaged in the pickle and sauerkraut business at River Falls, also doing considerable shipping. Two years later he sold his interest in this enterprise and came to Hudson, where he purchased the cold storage plant, later adding a creamery. This concern is the largest cold storage in the valley and does business on an extensive scale. The plant is a brick building 50x120 feet with a creamery 20x60 and an office 20x26. It is quipped with the Cooper brine refrigeration, positive ventilation and a mechanical air circulating system, the best known contrivance for carrying eggs, butter, cheese, apples and the like. It has a capacity of 10,000 cases of eggs, 200,000 pounds of butter and 50,000 pounds of cheese. In connection with their storage business the concern handles apples in car lots in the fall, and after shipping their butter, eggs and the like they refill the storage with apples, having a capacity of 10,000 barrels, which they dispose of before it is time to again fill the place with butter and eggs, thus using the storage the whole year around. Mr. Utman is president of the company, and his experience in the apple and produce business now stands him good stead. Mr. Utman is an ardent Republican. He was elected mayor of Hudson in the spring of 1908. For many years he was chairman of the Republican county committee of Barron county, Wisconsin, where he formerly resided. He affiliates with the Masons, the I. O. O. f. and the Union Commercial Travelers. July 24, 1894, he was married to Jennie Harper, daughter of L. A. and Mary Harper, of Cumberland, Wis. Four children have blessed this union: Beatrice V., Isabelle M., Leslie H. and George W. Mr. Utman is a clear-headed the capable business man, and his business is constantly growing from year to year. His election as mayor speaks for itself as to the regard in which he is held by his fellow townsmen. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909)