1921 Duluth & St Louis County MN, Van Brunt.pdf - Garon.us

DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 893
Fred A, Klass. While his primary aim during his quarter of a century
residence at Hibbing has been to build up a substantial and prosperous
business, Fred A. Klass has at the same time performed the duties
of good citizenship, and is not only one of Ribbing's oldest merchants
but one of its most esteemed residents.
He was born at Oconto, Wisconsin, March 14, 1870, son of William
and Anna (Heinrichs) Klass, the former a native of Germany and the
latter of Wisconsin. His father came to the United States at the age of
fifteen in 1848, about the time of the German revolution, when so many
high class Germans left the fatherland. He grew up in Wisconsin and
spent his Hfe in that state, being one of the pioneer lumbermen of Oconto.
He also served as county sheriff for several years, and later as assessor
of his county.
Next to the oldest in a family of ten children, Fred A. Klass grew up
in Oconto and in 1886 graduated as a member of the first class of the
local high school. The following year he clerked in the postoffice. He
then began an apprenticeship to learn the jeweler's trade. The provisions
of the apprenticeship were such that he had to depend upon himself
for a living and he earned a living by working at intervals in lumber
camps.
It was through the presence of friends at Hibbing that Mr. Klass
came to the village in 1895. There was little to commend it as a business
or municipal community. It was two years old and all the business
was located along Pine street. In the Cox Building in December, 1895,
Mr. Klass opened up as a local jewelry merchant, though in the absence
of capital he had little more than a watchmaker's bench. He furnished
a service equal to the needs of the community, and it has always been
his ambition to keep his store a little bit in advance of the needs of the
community. His establishment today is second to none in the town, and
his prosperity has been proportioned accordingly.
Nothing tending to the betterment of the community has failed to receive
his consideration and effort. He served tw^o terms as a member
of the Village Council and during the World war was actively identified
with several committees to promote the sale of Liberty bonds, the raising
of funds for Red Cross and other purposes. Mr. Klass is a Republican
and a member of the Kiwanis Club, Algonquin Club, the Masonic
lodge and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
On October 14, 1897, he married Miss Frieda Hartman, of Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, only daughter of August and Johanna (Weyrich) Hartman.
They have one son, Frederick, born August 8, 1898. He finished
his liberal education in the LIniversity of Minnesota, and during the war
was enrolled in the Students' Naval Reserve Unit. He married Miss
Hazel Hansen, who was reared and educated in this county and also
attended the University of Minnesota.
W. H. Appleby. In compiling this volume of representative citizens
of Duluth and St. Louis County occasion has been afforded to give the
records of men in many walks of life; here will be found appropriate
mention of worthy citizens of all vocations, and at t*his juncture we present
a resume of the career of one of the enter])rising and successful contractors
and builders of this city, where he has lived for a score of years
and where he has attained to a high degree of success in liis chosen field
of labor.
W. H. Appleby was born in Toronto, Canada, on the 18th day of
April, 1861, and is the second child in order of birth of the nine children
born to Mr. and Mrs. Guy Appleby, tlis father, whose death occurred
in 1*X)8, was a prominent and successful building contractor. W. H.
Vol. 11—25