HENRY KNUDSON (1870), ex-sheriff, county treasurer, and judge of the probate court of Jackson county, who now lives at Heron Lake, is an early day settler of the county and one who has played an important part in public affairs.

Mr. Knudson was brought up on a farm, having been born in Nordre (or Northern) Aurdal, Valders, Norway, September 26, 1843, His father was Knud Chestenson Klevegaard (the latter being the farm name), a farmer and tailor by occupation. He was born in Northern Aurdal, Valders, Norway, came to the United States in 1852, lived respectively in Rock. Walworth and Iowa counties, Wisconsin, and in Bellecreek, Goodhue county, Minnesota, where he died in 1870 at the age of 59 years.  Our subject’s mother was Anna Hendrickson Fuglien (the latter being the farm name).  She was also born in Nordre Aurdal Valders, Norway, and died near Maxonville, Rock County, Wisconsin, in 1854 at the age of 37 years.

Henry is the second of a family of five children, of whom the only one besides himself now living is Ole, whose name has been changed to William Christen. He is the president of a mining corporation of Cripple Creek, Colorado.  The deceased children of the family were Christen Knudson, who came to Jackson county in 1870 and resided on his farm near Wilder until his death in 1898; Knud Knudson, who died in 1863 at the age of about twelve years: Anna Knudson, who died in Denver.  Colorado, at the age of about 40 years. Besides his full brothers and sisters Mr. Knudson has the following half sisters and brothers by his father’s second wife, namely: Esther (Mrs. Ole Tollefson), wife of a prosperous farmer of Arville, North Dakota; Mrs. Mary Erickson, of Cannon Falls, Minnesota : Stark Christy, a farmer of Bellecreek, Goodhue county Minnesota: Elias Knudson, deceased, of Mcintosh, Minnesota.

When Henry Knudson was nine years of age he had to go out and make his own living, as his parents were poor. In November 1861, at Moscow, Iowa county, Wisconsin, he enlisted in the union army, and on December 8 was mustered into company E, Fifteenth Wisconsin infantry, known as the Scandinavian regiment, all being Norwegians from the colonel down. The regiment was in several engagements while he was in it the principal ones being at the capture of Island No. 10, at Union City, Tennessee, and at Perrysville and Danville, Kentucky. On November 24, 1862, he reenlisted for three years in company K, Fourth United States cavalry, and was transferred thereto by order of the war department.  The first battle he was in after being transferred was Murfreesboro, or Stone River, Tennessee. He was in a number of engagements in the vicinity of Murfreesboro and one time was cut off from his command by a body of confederate cavalry at Spring Hill, Tennessee, and was reported killed or captured, but his fleet horse and long range revolving rifle saved him.

Mr. Knudson served on General Rosecrans’ bodyguard and was orderly to General Elmer Otis. He was one of twenty picked men of the regiment chosen to charge on twenty confederate cavalrymen who were stationed on what is known as Round Top, in Wilson county, Tennessee. In this charge four men were killed and two were taken prisoners. On February 18 and 19 the regiment had an engagement between Auburn and Liberty, Tennessee.  During this time Mr. Knudson was acting as sergeant and led the advance. When about two hundred feet from the enemy he was struck by a rifle ball near the right nipple, the ball passing through the lungs and coming out near the spinal column. Being escorted to the rear by two comrades, he was left on the battlefield all night and the next day was taken in an ambulance to Murfreesboro.  a distance of about thirty miles, over a rough road. Mr. Knudson was discharged for disability at Louisville, Kentucky, July 18, 1863.

After his discharge from the army Mr.  Knudson went back home, near Moscow, Wisconsin, and in the spring of 1865 went to Redwing, Minnesota. There he clerked in a general merchandise store, bought wheat, ran a warehouse and sold machinery. For a time he was also engaged in farming near Bellecreek.  Goodhue county. He came to Jackson county in the spring of 1870 and took a homestead claim on section 10 Weimer township.  On January 10, 1871 Mr. Knudson was appointed deputy sheriff of Jackson county by Sheriff E. Sevatson and at the election that fall he was elected sheriff. He was elected county treasurer in the fall of 1871 and took possession of the office March 4, 1874; he was reelected in the fall of 1875 and served until March 1878. In the fall of 1874 he was also elected to the office of judge of the probate court and held the two offices for two years. 

On the 24th day of December 1876 Mr.  Knudson was united in marriage to Christine Tollefson of Christiania township. She was born in the town of Belmont on the 3rd day of February 1861 and was the daughter of Tollef Olson Slaabaken and Ingebor Slaabaken.  She was a twin sister of Ole Tollefson, who now lives on a fine large farm near Arville, North Dakota. During the Indian massacre in August, 1862, Mrs. Tollefson had to carry these twins in the flight from the Indians, Mr.  Tollefson being in the army. To Mr. and Mrs. Knudson were born two children:

Ida Anna, born March 18, 1870, (the girl to the left of the photo) and Christian Henry, born October 10, 1880. Mrs. Knudson died October 17, 1880, and Christian Henry died August 14, 1882.

In the spring of 1870 Mr. Knudson moved to a farm he owned on the south shore of Heron lake. During his residence there he founded the town of Jackson Center and was appointed postmaster. In 1882 he moved to Lakefield and was appointed postmaster there March 23, 1882, an office which he soon resigned. 

The second marriage of Mr. Knudson occurred June 19, 1882, at Lakefield, when he wedded Jennie Olson, daughter of Ole Isakson and Inga Isakson, of Nordre Aurdal, Valders, Norway.  Mrs. Knudson was born in the same place as were her parents, the date of her birth being October 6, 1859. She came to the United States in 1880. To these parents have been born two children: Emma D. (Mrs. L.  T. Christenson), of Minneapolis, and Christian Oscar, who died September 18, 1889.  In 1880 Mr. Knudson moved to Heron Lake and in the fall of that year was again elected to the office of judge of the probate court, which office he held for the full term of two years. During this time he was also a member of the Heron Lake village council and village justice of the peace, which offices he resigned in 1893 on account of ill health and too much business.

Mr. Knudson was the founder, owner and editor of the Southwestern Minnesota Farmer, a monthly publication which he started in 1888. Besides the offices mentioned Mr. Knudson has held at one time or another nearly all the township offices. He has been a notary public and has been engaged in the insurance, real estate and loaning business. On September 1, 1891, he was authorized to act as agent before the department of the interior.

Mr. Knudson went to the Puget sound country for his health in 1893, but returned home to Heron Lake in the latter part of that year.  In 1894 he went to California for his health and lived in Los Angeles until 1899. Then he returned to Heron Lake, where he has ever since resided.