Brown County MN Archives Biographies.....Berg, Henry J. 1867 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 26, 2014, 4:44 pm Source: See Below Author: L. A. Fritsche HENRY J. BERG. Henry J. Berg, treasurer of Brown county and one of the best-known men in the county, has been a resident of Brown county all his life, having been born on a pioneer farm in Sigel township, February 28, 1867. He is a son of John and Frederika (Bomm) Berg, natives of Germany, the former of whom was born in the Rhine province and the latter in Mecklenburg, early settlers of Brown county, where their last days were spent. John Berg was the eldest of the four children born to his parents, German fanning people, the others having been Henry, Joseph and a daughter who died in Germany. John Berg came to America in 1856, immediately after his marriage, and for several years lived in Illinois. In 1863 he came to Minnesota, locating in Brown county, where he bought a small farm of forty acres in Sigel township and there established his home and reared his family. He was a sturdy and energetic farmer and, as he prospered, added to his land holdings until he became the owner of about three hundred and twenty acres. In their latter years he and his wife retired from the farm and moved to New Ulm, where their last days were spent, their deaths occurring within two weeks of each other, John Berg being seventy-seven years of age at the time of his death and his wife seventy-four. They were earnest members of the Catholic church and their children were reared in that faith. There were eight children, namely: Mary, wife of Fred Kretsch, of New Ulm; John, of Sigel township; Hubert, of New Ulm; Henry J., the subject of this sketch; Bertha, deceased, who was the wife of Henry Liesenfeld; Helena, wife of John Kretsch, of New Ulm, and Anna and Louise, who died in their youth. Henry J. Berg was reared on the paternal farm in Sigel township, this county, and received his education in the district school in that neighborhood. He lived at home until his marriage in 1888, after which his father gave him an interest in a quarter of a section of land in that same township and he lived there two years, at the end of which time he sold the place back to his father and moved to New Ulm, where he engaged in the livery business in a partnership, under the firm name of Kretsch & Berg, and was thus engaged for six years, after which he sold his interest in that business and moved to Sleepy Eye and engaged there in the retail liquor business. For ten years Mr. Berg was a resident of Sleepy Eye and during that time his acquaintance was being extended to all parts of the county. He took an active interest in local politics and in 1906 was nominated by the Democratic party as the candidate of that party for the important office of county treasurer. He was elected in the ensuing election and in 1907 entered upon the duties of his office, which duties he is still performing to the general satisfaction of the public, having been reelected to office at each succeeding election. On August 7, 1888, Henry J. Berg was united in marriage to Mary Hoffman, who was born at Bayren, Germany, on June 19,1869, daughter of Clement and Mary (Hacker) Hoffman, natives of that same place, who came to the United States in 1883 and settled in Albin township, this county, where the father spent the rest of his life. After her husband's death the Widow Hoffman made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Berg, where her last days were spent. To Henry J. and Mary (Hoffman) Berg eight children have been born, as follow: Mary, who married Dr. A. W. Eckstein, of Comfrey, this state, and has one child; Edward, who is serving under his father as deputy treasurer of Brown county; Henry, a druggist, of Paynesville, this state, and Dora, Leo, Helena. Clement and Walter, at home with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Berg are devoted members of the Catholic church and their children have been reared in that faith. The Bergs take an active interest in the general social affairs of New Ulm, are interested in all movements having to do with the advancement of the common welfare hereabout and are held in high regard by their many friends. Mr. Berg is a member of the Knights of Columbus, being grand knight of the New Ulm council of that order; a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters; of the St. Joseph's Society of New Ulm, the St. John's Society of Sleepy Eye and of the Arbiter Verein Society of New Ulm, a labor organization, in the affairs of all of which organizations he takes a warm interest. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY MINNESOTA ITS PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS L. A. FRITSCHE. M. D. Editor With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families VOLUME II B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/brown/bios/berg461gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mnfiles/ File size: 5.3 Kb