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HERMAN 0. NAESETH, manager of
the Farmers' Elevator Company, of Wanamingo, was born in the
township of Wanamingo, March 9, 1879, son of Ole K. and Rachel
Overby Naeseth. He received his education in the public
schools of the township and completed his studies at the
Lutheran College at Decorah, Iowa, graduating in 1902. He
returned home and remained on the farm for one year, after
which he taught school for a time. He then rented 137 acres of
land and engaged in farming for himself, and also raises
stock. He was married on August 31, 1904, to Maria Sevareid,
daughter of Erick and Caroline Sevareid, natives of Norway and
Sweden, respectively, who came to America and engaged in
farming in Wanamingo township, where the father died. The
mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Naeseth have one son,
Olaf Erick, born August 31, 1905. In February, 1909, Mr.
Naeseth was appointed postmaster of Wanamingo. He has been treasurer
of the township for three terms and is now serving. He was
appointed manager of the Farmers' Elevator Company in July,
1909. In politics he is Republican and attends the Norwegian
Lutheran church.
 HON. OLE K. NAESETH, of Wanamingo township, who
represents Goodhue county in the Minnesota senate, is a man of
rugged character, unswerving principles and rigid adherence to
duty, and his long years of public service have proven his
ability. From
early manhood he has been active in public life. His first
office Was that of clerk of school district number 60. From
1879 to '84 he was county commissioner, and from
1885 to '87 served in the state legislature. His occupancy of
his present position dates from 1903. In him the interests of
the county have an earnest advocate and supporter, and his
work has more than justified the confidence that, has been
reposed in him. Mr.
Naesseth was born in Walworth county, Wisconsin,
November 30, 1844, and was brought to Wanamingo township by
his parents at the age of twelve years, spending his boyhood
here during the days of the early pioneers. Here he received
such education as the schools of the neighborhood afforded,
and looked after his father's business until 1885, wdien he
came into possession of the old homestead, where he still
carries on general farming, managing in addition to this a
farm of 140 acres in Section 25, owned by his wife. Being
willing to contribute of his money as well as of his influence
to aid in the general progress of the county, he has taken
stock in a number of farmers' elevators and in the First State
Bank of Zumbrota. Senator Naeseth was married, June 12, 1874,
at Wanamingo, to Mrs. Rachael Seiurn Olson, by whom he has had
five children: Herman is manager of the elevator at Wanamingo
and also manages a farm; Carl is a drayman in Minneapolis;
John is a student in the law department of the State
University; Ida, who has graduated from the Lutheran Ladies'
Seminary at Red Wing, is a school teacher; Adolf is a graduate
of the Lutheran College, at Decorah, Iowa. The family faith is
that of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Kjostel and Maria H.
(Faehn) Naeseth, parents of the subject of this sketch, were
born in Norway and upon coming to America lived in Walworth
and Dane counties, Wisconsin, until moving to Wanamingo
township in 1856. Here they purchased 160 acres of wild land,
which they broke and improved, holding and disposing of other
tracts from time to time, but always retaining the original
homestead in Section 10. The father died in July, 1897, and
the mother in January, 1895.
DAVID MIDDLETON NEILL, manager of the Red Wing
Telephone Company, was born in Perthshire, Scotland, February
2, 1852, and came to America with his parents, John and
Margaret (Moreland) Neill, in 1860. They located in Montgomery
county, New York, where the father was a contractor for the
structural iron works for one year, after which they migrated
west and settled in Columbia county, Wisconsin, and engaged in
farming. The father died in June, 1879, and the mother in
1903. David M.
Neill received his education in the district school and
later attended the high school at Portage, Wis. He then
entered the drug store of Purdy & Merrill at Portage, with
whom he remained eleven years, after which he went into the
same business for himself at Big Stone City, N. D. In 1883 he
sold out and engaged in the lumber business at Ortonville,
becoming superintendent of all retail yards for the Charles
Betcher Lumber Company of Red Wing. In 1886 he came to Red
Wing, where he held a similar position in the same firm. He
became manager of the Red Wing Manufacturing Company in 1889,
and subsequently became president of the company. He severed
his connection with the company in 1904 and organized the Red
Wing Telephone Company of Red Wing, December 15 of that year,
being elected secretary, treasurer and manager at its
incorporation. In
1908 Mr. Neill was elected president of the Minnesota
Federation of Commercial Clubs and was re-elected in 1909. He
has served as president of the Red Wing Commercial Club, and
in September, 1909, was appointed by Governor Eberhardt as a
member of the Governor John A. Johnson Memorial
Commission. Mr.
Neill was married May 20, 1875, to Alice A. Purdy, of Fox
Lake, Wis., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Purdy, and to them
have been born three children : Edmund P., July 26, 1877, now
advertising representative of the Billings "Gazette and
Journal" at Billings, Mont.; Victor S., born April 20, 1884,
now engaged with his father as assistant manager and chief
inspector of the Red Wing Telephone Company, and Margaret A.,
born October 6, 1890, who is attending the Lutheran Ladies'
Seminary. In
politics, Mr. Neill is a Republican and in religion a member
of the Presbyterian church. He was a member of the board of
public works in 1907, and was one of the organizers of the
library board, of which he was the first president.
J. G. NELSON, who has several times served his
fellow citizens as supervisor of the township of Cannon Falls,
was born in Sweden December 14, 1851, son of Ole and Anna
Nelson, early settlers in Chisago county, this state, where
they lived from 1856 to 1862. In the latter year they came to
this township and after renting a farm for some years,
purchased in 1870 the land upon which the subject of this
sketch still lives. The father died in 1887 and the mother in
1899. Their three children are all living. J. G. Nelson
received his education in the public schools, experienced the
rigors of pioneer life, and has followed in his father's
footsteps as a farmer. He has 160 acres of land, 130 of which
is plowed. Here he carries on general farming and dairying,
selling milk to the Cannon Falls creamery. His place is about
four miles from the village, and the buildings, all of which
have been erected either by himself or his father, are neat
and well kept. Mr. Nelson is a Republican in politics, and
being a thorough believer in education, has served with credit
on the school board. He was married in 1876 to Ellen Pearson,
by whom he has five children, Adeline, Alfred, Henry, Leonard
and Bennett. After the death of his first wife he was married
to Jennie Holm, by whom he has two children, Bertrice and
Everett.
JOHN NELSON, of Burnside, a veteran of the Civil
War and of the Indian campaign, was born in Norway November
12, 1844 a son of
Nels and Ingebor Nelson, who came to the United States in
1848, and located in Dane county, Wisconsin. In 1855 a part of
the family came to Goocllme county, followed in the fall of
1857 by John and his sister. John received his education in
the common schools and also had the advantages of one year's
tuition in Hamline University, at that time located in Red
Wing. He took up
farming on the home place, remaining until 1862, when as a
youth of eighteen years he enlisted in Company F, 6th
Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, August 11, 1862. He took part in
the Indian campaign under General Sibley, being sent with his
regiment to the rescue of the detachment beleagured by the
Indians at Birch Coolie. In the battle of Wood Lake, September
23, the regiment held an important position. Mr. Nelson
participated in all the battles of the memorable Sibley
campaign. June
15, 1864, he went south with the regiment, and was at Helena,
Ark., and St. Louis, Mo., until January, 1865, when the
regiment was sent to New Orleans and assigned to the 16th army
corps. He participated in the engagements of Spanish Fort and
Fort Blakely, in April, 1865, and was discharged with the
regiment at Fort Snelling August 27, 1865. After returning
home, Corporal Nelson taught school one year. He then clerked
seven years, and having been frugal and saving, gathered
enough to start a store of his own. This store he continued
fourteen years, after which he interested himself in the
veneer and hardwood lumber business. In 1900 he moved to the
place in Burnside township which he now operates. He has 296
acres of land and is engaged in general farming, keeping dairy
cows, etc. He is a Republican in politics, and has served as
supervisor of Burnside township. Mr. Nelson was married in
1874 to Lucy E. Bussitt, by whom he has one child, R. J.
Nelson, employed with the Fairbanks, Morse Company, in St.
Paul. After his
first wife's death Mr. Nelson was married to Jessie Eames, by
whom he has three children : Horace E., Frances C. and Walter H. Nelson.
MRS. JULIA BULLARD NELSON, of Red Wing,
educator, author, lecturer and a prominent worker in the cause
of women and temperance, has taught in Texas, Minnesota,
Tennessee and Connecticut, and lectured in almost every state
in the union in the interest of the W. C. T. U. and woman's
suffrage. She was born at High Ridge, Conn., May 13, 1842,
daughter of Edward and Angeline Raymond Bullard, who came to
this country from England in 1836 and settled in High Ridge,
her father later being one of Minnesota's pioneers. She was
educated in the public schools of Iowa and in an academy at
Denmark, Iowa, later completing her studies at the Hamline
University, when that institution was located at Red Wing.
From 1861 to 1866 she was engaged in teaching in Connecticut
and Minnesota, being the first woman to hold a first grade
certificate in Goodhue county. September 25, 1866, she was
married to Ole Nelson, a soldier of the Civil War, who
enlisted in Company F, Sixth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry
August 1, 1862, and served until June 27, 1865, when he was
honorably discharged. He was born in Norway and his parents
came to America in 1848, his father having chartered a ship
and brought a ship load of emigrants over to settle in the new
country. Mr. Nelson died January 9, 1869, and after the death
of her husband and child, Mrs. Nelson, who was then achieving
note as one of the early advocates of woman's suffrage,
decided to consecrate her life to work among the lowly and
downtrodden. She was sent by the American Missionary
Association, in 1869, to teach the freedmen in Texas, where
she labored until 1873. During the years 1875-77 she taught a
school for colored children at Athens, Tenn., and for the next
four years was principal of the Warner Institute at Jonesboro,
Tenn. Mrs. Nelson preached from 1883-88 and organized the
Congregational Church at Jonesboro during that time, after
which she engaged in Prohibition work in eastern Tennessee.
From 1889 to 1890 she was the vice president of the Minnesota
W. C. T. U., and lecturer, and from 1890 to 1896 was president
of the Minnesota Woman's Suffrage Association and lectured for
the National Association of Woman's Suffrage. For four years
she edited the "White Ribbon," a W. C. T. U. paper, and during
all this time has written both prose and poetry for the press.
She lectured on temperance before there was a union, and led
in a debate on the question of woman's suffrage in Red Wing,
in Good Templars' hall, in 1869. Mrs. Nelson has financially
assisted in obtaining education for many young people who have
since attained prominence in educational and religious
endeavor. Although now retired, she takes an active interest
in everything that tends to the betterment of city, county or
nation, and her newspaper communications, in which she
champions the cause of righteousness, a square deal and the
working people, have now, as in the past, an important
influence on local
affairs.
OSCAR F. NELSON, a rising young business man of
Goodhue, was born April 19, 1877, son of Peter Nelson, who
came to America from Sweden in 1876, locating in Vasa, Goodhue
county, Minnesota, where he worked at the carpenter trade for
about three years. He then bought 160 acres in Goodhue
township and followed general farming up to the time of his
death, March, 1895. The mother died in November, 1906, at St.
Paul. They had four sons: N. John, engaged in the banking
business at East Grand Forks, N. D. ; E. Alfred, Editor of the
Hallock (Minn.) "Weekly"; Frank J., a partner of Alfred in the
newspaper, and Oscar F. One sister died in infancy. Oscar
F. received his
education in the schools of his neighborhood. Shortly after
leaving school he entered the secret service of Pinkerton at
St. Paul for two years, 1897 and 1898. He then purchased the
old homestead and took up farming for eight years, after which
he sold the farm, January 1, 1907, and with a partner, C. R.
Johnson, entered the hardware business in Goodhue village,
carrying a full supply of goods usually handled in such a
store, including farm machinery and carriages. This
establishment has been very successful in every way. Mr.
Nelson was married June 27, 1901, to Lorena G. Johnson,
daughter of C. R. and Emma (Sundell) Johnson, the former a
native of Delaware and the latter of Buffalo, N. Y. Mr.
Johnson came west, and still farms in Goodhue township. Mrs.
Johnson died March 17, 1907. To Mr. and Mrs. Nelson there have
been born two children: Bernice L., born December 7, 1902, and
Vernon Sidney, born June 18, 1907. Fraternally Mr. Nelson
associates with the Knights of Pythias, several Masonic
chapters, including the Knights Templar, the Modern Woodmen
and the Yeomen, in the latter of which he serves as foreman.
Politically he is a Republican and has served as a member of
the town board two years and as clerk of the school board
three years. He has also been village recorder. In all of these public
capacities he has given much satisfaction, and in private life
he enjoys the esteem of a large circle of friends.
ANDREW J. NERHAUGEN. of Zumbrota village, was
born in Land, Norway, January 6, 1829, son of Johannes and
Marit Nerhaugen.
With his parents and two brothers he came to America in
the year 1848, and located on a farm near Oxfordville, Rock
county, Wisconsin. Here he lived until 1855, when he came to
Minnesota and settled in Pine Island township, where he
preempted 160 acres of wild land. This land he cleared and
broke, and here he built a home in which he lived until in
1905, when he sold and removed to the village of Zumbrota,
where he purchased a home and has since lived a retired life.
Mr. Nerhaugen has been twice married. In the spring of 1857 he
was married to Ingeborg Myran, by whom he had six
children-John, of Zumbrota; Peter, of Anoka; Julia (Mrs. N.
Simonson), of Brainerd ; Edward and Sophie, of Minneapolis,
and Albert, who died in infancy. His second wife, Mary
Halvorson, died February 8, 1906. She was born in Land,
Norway, in 1845, came to America in 1869, and was married to
Mr. Nerlytugen in 1871.
By this union there were
eight children-Alphine, who died in 1878; Clara, who died in
1902; Carl, of Watertown, S. D.; Selmer, of Zumbrota; Alfred,
of Seattle, Wash; Emily, Josie and Stella, who live at home.
Mr. Nerhaugen is a member of the Lutheran
Church.
PEDER N. NESSETH, a prominent resident of
Minneola township, was born in Beraker Ovre Stordalen, Norway,
July 21, 1828. He
emigrated to America June 13, 1858, and located at Wanamingo
for two years. In 1860, in Minneola township, section 16, he
bought 160 acres of land, which he broke and improved and upon
which he built a comfortable home. He carried on general
farming and proved a most successful farmer. Mr. Nesseth was
married June 8, 1857, at Meraker, Norway, to Ingeborg G. Nustad, by whom he ha
d seven children. Nels P. is employed with the Red Wing
Malting Company, Red Wing. Dr. Marie Sophie, Gjertru Maria,
Gustav, Hemming, Hemming second, all are dead. Rev. Guttorm P.
is at Willborg, Clearwater county, Minnesota. In politics Mr.
Nesseth is a Republican and the family worship at the Minneola
Evangelical Lutheran Church, which he helped to organize and
was one of the trustees for many years. He was also a member of the
first board of directors of the Wanamingo, Cherry Grove and
Minneola Fire Insurance Company, which he always helped to
promote. He has been a member of the school board in his
district. Mr. Nesseth has made all he has by hard work and the
family are highly respected by all their friends and
neighbors.
J. H. NIBBE, an active farmer of Goodhue
township, has been prominently identified with the public life
of the vicinity for many years. He has been township chairman
eight years, has served on the town board a similar period,
has been assessor six years and has served on the school board
for many terms. In commercial life he is no less
distinguished, being one of the organizers of the Goodhue
Co-operative store, of which he is a director and member of
the executive board; and president of the Farmers' Warehouse
Company, a position he has held for the past six years. Mr.
Nibbe was born in Germany, July 27, 1853, and in that country
received his education, coming to this county in 1868, and
engaging in farming with his father until 1876, when he
purchased 160 acres in Goodhue township, where he now carries
on general farming, owning 154 acres in addition to his
original purchase. His place is well equipped with all the
latest farming appliances, and in addition to raising the
usual crops he owns fourteen head of horses, thirty-three head
of cattle and thirteen sheep, as well as a number of hogs.
Mr. Nibbe was
married in November, 1876, to Lizzie Darhling, daughter of
Charles and Anna Darhling, natives of Germany, who located in
Hay Creek township in 1856, taking up 160 acres of land and
carrying on general farming until their death. The father died
in 1891 and the mother in 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Nibbe have been
blessed with fifteen children, fourteen of whom are living.
They are: John J., proprietor of a general store at Chippewa
Falls, Wis.; Carl Fred, of Richland county, North Dakota ;
Mattie Louise, wife of D. I. McHugh, manager of a grain
elevator in North Dakota; John Henry, a lawyer, of Billings,
Mont.; George E., who died in May, 1907; Clara Ann, a clerk in
Goodhue village ; and Lydia, Bertha C., Annie Margaret,
Margaret Lena, Peter C. R., Clarence O. B., Florence
Philippine, Raymond W., Blanche M. and Walter A., all at home.
The family faith is that of the German Lutheran church. Jacob
and Mattie (Stelin) Nibbe, parents of the subject of this
sketch, came from Germany in 1868 and located in this
township. Two years later they purchased eighty acres and to
this added from time to time until they owned in all 480
acres, upon which the father carried on general farming until
his retirement in 1877. He died in 1902 and his wife passed
away December 24, 1878. In the family, aside from J. H., there
were four brothers and one sister: Peter, Jacob, John, Herman
and Mary, the latter of whom is now the wife of John
Gardan.
RALPH C. NICKERSON, veterinary surgeon, of
Zumbrota, is a native of Wisconsin, born in Cambria, Columbia
county, December 27, 1859. His parents, Seth and Sarah R.
(Clifford) Nickerson, natives of New York state, removed to
Wisconsin in 1845, the father being a blacksmith by trade.
From 1863 until 1877, the family lived at Concord, Dodge
county, this state, and then came to Zumbrota. The mother died
October 25, 1897, and the father, who retired from active
practice of his trade in 1890, lives with his son, Ralph C.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools
and in the Wesleyan Methodist Seminary at Wasioja, Minn., as
well as in the Zumbrota High School. He clerked in a store for
a time, but his love for horses soon lead him to the race
track, which he followed until 1899, when he entered the
Western Veterinary College, at Kansas City, graduating in
1901. He at once opened an office in Zumbrota, where he has
met with marked success, and built up a large and profitable
practice. In addition to the pursuits mentioned above, Mr.
Nickerson was proprietor of a government star mail route from
July 1, 1879, to December, 1881. In 1884 he took a trip to the
state of Washington, returning the following year. On his trip home he
drove seventy-eight horses from Cheney, Wash., to Bozeman,
Mont., thence brought them to St. Paul by rail, and from there
drove them to Zumbrota where he sold them. Mr. Nickerson was
married December 31, 1878, at Zumbrota, to Kate C. Chaffee,
daughter of I. M. and Emily F. (Roan) Chaffee, the former of
whom was a native of Connecticut and the latter of England.
They came to Zumbrota in the early days, Mr. Chaffee being for
many years a carpenter here, also doing some contracting. He died in February,
1897, and his wife in December, 1891. Mrs. Nickerson was born
March 17, 1863. To Mr. Nickerson she has borne two children,
Mary C., born August 26, 1880, wife of George H. Tracy,
superintendent of schools in Alden, Minn., and Guy R., born
August 27, 1882, a horse dealer of Zumbrota. The family religion is
that of the Methodist Church.
M. T. NILAN, merchant of Eggleston, was born in
Pittsburg,. Pa.,
July 18, 1859, son of Patrick and Sarah (Maloy) Nilan, natives
of Ireland who came to America in 1851 and located in Virginia
where they lived until 1855. Then they moved to Pittsburg,
Pa., remaining there until June, 1868, when they came to
Minnesota and engaged in farming in Welch township, until
their death. They had twelve children, nine of whom are
living. M. T.
Nilan received his education in the public schools and
later attended a business college at Minneapolis. After
leaving school he worked on the farm seven years. He then took
charge of the elevator at Eggleston, also conducting a small
store. This he continued until 1902 when he was obliged on
account of his great increase of trade to build a larger
store. He has since conducted a general store, and carries
hardware. Mr. Nilan has been twice married. His first wife was
Jane O'Connell, daughter of Patrick and Catherine O'Connell,
by whom he had two children: Annie married to Matt P. Gulden,
and Catherine (deceased). The mother died January 9. 1888, and
May 1, 1893, Mr. Nilan was married to Catherine Glynn, a
native of Kansas, daughter of Martin and Catherine (Connell)
Glynn, natives of Ireland. Mr. Glynn was a contractor
and mason and died in Kansas where Mrs. Glynn is still living.
Mr. and Mrs. Nilan have eight children: Sarah, born April 9,
1894; Edward, born October 22, 1895 ; Catherine, born August
23, 1897 ; Ellen, born May 3, 1899 ; Mary L., born February 2,
1901; Dorothy, born April 16, 1902; Michael, born November 2,
1903, and Martin G., born August 23, 1905. Mr. Nilan is
Democrat in politics. He rvas the station agent at Eggleston
for twenty-five years, and has been postmaster since 1882. In
addition to his business interests he owns land in Welch
township consisting of 726 acres, most of which is timber. He
is a member of the K. of C. and he and his family are
communicants of the Catholic
church.
OLAF 0. NORDVOLD, of
Zumbrota village, a retired farmer and former well-known
school teacher, is a native of Norway (Lesje, Gudbrandsdalen),
son of Ole and Marit Nordsletten. The parents spent their
entire lives in Norway, with the exception of the years from
1878 to 1881, which they spent with their sons in
America. They are
now deceased. Olaf, as he was then called by his friends,
attended a high school in Norway, and graduated from the Asker
Seminary for Teachers in 1864. The high grade of scholarship
which he maintained while at the seminary secured for him the
position as teacher in his home district, a situation he held
four years. His fifth year as a teacher was spent in the south
part of Gudbrandsdalen, and in 1869 he migrated to America,
locating in Iowa. While perfecting himself in the English
language he followed farming a short time and in the fall of
that year came to this county as parochial school teacher and
choir leader of the Minneola congregation. He was beloved by
the pupils and honored by the parents, but in 1876, desiring
more out-of-door employment, he purchased 256 acres in
Zumbrota township, grubbed and improved 80 acres of this, and
erected a new building, carrying on general farming until
1906, when he sold his farm to his sons and moved to Zumbrota
village, where he has since resided. His public office holding
includes service in the legislature in 1887, as town treasurer
of Zumbrota for eight years, supervisor three years and
postmaster at White Willow eight years, his tenure of office
in the latter position extending through the administration of
Harrison and one term of Cleveland. He is secretary of the
Farmers' Elevator Company, of Zumbrota, and chairman of its
finance committee. He is also a director in the Wanamingo,
Minneola & Cherry Grove Mutual Farmers' Insurance Company.
Throughout his life Mr. Nordvold has taken a deep interest in
church matters, and is now serving as chairman of the board of
trustees of Land's Church. Starting in life as a poor boy, he
has acquired an education, position, and a comfortable income,
all by his own efforts. Mr. Nordvold was married March 25,
1873, at the Church of the Minneola Congregation, to Esther C.
Klevgaard, daughter of John Klevgaard, natives of Norway, who
came to America in 1850, and located in Dane county, Wis.,
where their daughter Esther was born, October 18 of the same
year. Later they located in Goodhue county, and still later in
Jackson county, this state. The father died March 7, 1908, and
the mother April 9, of the same year. The home of the
Nordvolds has been blessed with eight children. Olaf M., born
December 15, 1873, is a farmer in Zumbrota township. Maria J.,
born March 25, 1876, married Swen T. Swenson, also a farmer in
Zumbrota township. Jesse C., born February 11, 1879, follows a
similar occupation. Olga M., born June 8, 1880, is married to
Peter T. Swenson, the Standard Oil agent at Zumbrota. Adolph
E., born November 22, 1882, married Alice Langum, of Anoka,
and is now in the furniture and undertaking business in
Zumbrota. Agnes
0., born May 16, 1885, lives at home. Sverre P., born December
30, 1887, is a graduate of the Northwestern University, of
Chicago, department of pharmacy class of 1909. Harold O., born
April 12, 1892, a student in the Zumbrota high school, is
clerking in the post office and lives at home. The family
faith is that of the Lutheran Church.
JOSEPH A.
NORSTAD, a rising young business man of Wanamingo village, was
born at Eagle Grove, Iowa, September 10, 1880, son of Lars and
Ingebor (Lenning) Norstad, natives of Norway, who came to
America aucl located in Illinois, later going to Iowa, where
they still reside, carrying on farming. Joseph A. acquired his
education in Iowa and attended Jewell Lutheran College, in
Jewell, Iowa, where he completed the commercial-course. After
finishing school he took a clerkship at Eagle Grove for a
time, and subsequently held a similar position at Bellmont,
Iowa, for three years. In August, 1901, he removed to
Wanamingo and entered the mercantile business, which he still
conducts. He was married October 1, 1903, to Hannah E. Haugen, daughter of 0.
S. and Sigrid (Romo) Haugen, natives of Norway. The children
of Mr. and Mrs. Norstad are: Lester E., born May 19, 1905, and
Orwin S., born January 29, 1908. Mr. Norstad is an
independent Republican in politics, and attends the Lutheran
church. He is a highly respected citizen in the village in
which he lives. In business he has been very successful. He comes of good stock
and his upright dealings have merited the excellent reputation
which his store bears.
JOHN EDWARD NORSVING, president of the village
council of Dennison, was born in Holden township, January 24,
1873, and received his education in the Holden common schools,
St. Olaf College at Northfield, and the Lutheran Academy at
Albert Lea, subsequently remaining on the home farm until
1904, with the exception of two years, 1900-02, which he spent
on the Pacific coast. In 1904 he entered into partnership with
the Messrs. Ellingboe and Austinson, in a general store at
Dennison, where he now remains, he and Mr. Austinson hWing
purchased the interest of Mr. Ellingboe. The firm has a large
trade from the neighboring country districts in both Rice and
Goodhue counties, and, in addition to a general line of
provisions and household necessities, carries a full stock of
hardware and farm machinery. In addition to this property Mr.
Norsving has 160 acres of the old homestead which he rents. He
is a Republican in politics, and before being elected
president of the council had served three terms as village
assessor. June 4, 1903, he was married to Sadie Austinson,
daughter of Throud and Mary (Stiele) Austinson, who, after
coming to America in 1851, lived in Wisconsin and Iowa, and in
1859 took up their residence on 240 acres in Warsaw, where
they lived until 1907, when they retired and moved to Dennison
village. In 1868 they took a long vacation and visited their
old home in Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Norsving have been blessed
with two children: Gudmund T. W., born September 28, 1905, and
Bernice M., born September 29, 1907. The family faith is that
of the Norwegian Lutheran church. G. K. and Bertha (Holien)
Norsving, parents of John Edward, were born in Norway and in
1850 migrated to the United States. After living in Wisconsin
and Iowa several years they came to Holden township, this
county, and purchased 160 acres which they broke and improved,
later adding eighty acres more, which was, however,
subsequently disposed of. They retired in 1904 and now make
their home in a pleasant residence in Kenyon. During his
active life G. K.
Norsving was at one time interested in a store in
Tennessee, but this interest he later sold. The entire family
is well esteemed throughout this section of the country. G. K.
Norsving served in the legislature in 1872-3. He has also
served as county commissioner, township supervisor, clerk,
treasurer, justice and assessor.
CHARLES A.
NYLEN, blacksmith and implement dealer, was born in Sweden
January 23, 1874, son of Andrew and Anna (Mattson) Nylen,
natives of Sweden, who came to the United States in 1890 and
located in Vasa township, Minnesota, where the father worked
two years, then rented a farm and engaged in farming for three
years, after which he went to Burnside township and rented a
farm, where he remained another three years. He then returned
to Vasa township and purchased 240 acres of land, of which 100
is under cultivation. Here they remained for ten years, and in
February, 1909, he moved to Welch village and started a
blacksmith shop and implement house. He now rents his farm and
has sold all his farming machinery and stock. He has always
lived with and cared for his parents. He has one brother
living at Argyle, Minn. He also had one sister, Mary, who died
in 1907. Mr.
Nylen is a stockholder in the creamery. He is an independent
voter, and belongs to the Swedish Lutheran church.
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