WABASHA COUNTY, MINNESOTA ***************************************************************************** Biography transcribed & donated to Wabasha County, MN Bios by Barbara Koska Timm. For more information, please check out her site "Biographies and Historical Sketches of Wabasha County, Minnesota" at . ***************************************************************************** HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL MATTER, STATISTICS, ETC. GATHERED FROM MATTER FURNISHED BY INTERVIEWS WITH OLD SETTLERS, COUNTY, TOWNSHIP AND OTHER RECORDS, AND EXTRACTS FROM FILES OF PAPERS, PAMPHLETS, AND SUCH OTHER SOURCES AS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE. ALSO A HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY CHICAGO: H. H. HILL & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS. 1884 Arendt, Philip is one of the largest farmers of Chester township. His estate now includes five hundred and eighty acres, all but thirty of which are improved, and has been made by his own industry and thrift from small beginnings. He was born in Belgium, on December 6, 1847. His father was a farmer, and till twelve years old he passed the life of a Belgian farmer's son, receiving a fair common school education in his native tongue. In 1860 his parents crossed the Atlantic, and settled at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. From that time young Philip earned his own livelihood, and had no chance for English schooling. Two years were spent in learning the shoemaker's trade, after which he worked as journeyman in Milwaukee, Chicago and other cities. He was married in Milwaukee, on March 28, 1870, to Miss Kate Ludovise, a native of Wisconsin. In 1868 Mr. Arendt came to Chester, but soon removed to Dakota county, where for five years he kept a saloon and shoemaker's shop combined. Tiring of the associations attending the liquor trade, he returned to Chester, and bought one hundred and sixty acres on sections 7 and 8. In 1876 he built the large residence on section 8, which he occupies. Two years later he built a granery, 22 x 32, with basement, and two years after a barn, 40 x 60. In 1876 he dug a well near the house, and found, at a depth of sixty-four feet, a perfectly preserved piece of wood, which he still retains. The family is included in Belle Chester Roman Catholic society, and includes children born as follows: Nicholas, January 6, 1871; Susan, March 6, 1872; Josephine, December 3, 1874; Mary, September 1, 1876; Peter, March 8, 1878; August, July 19, 1879; Catharine, August 22, 1881; Margaret, August 3, 1883. A daughter was born August 28, 1873, and christened Josephine, but soon died. Thus, for each or four callendar years in succession, a child was born.