KNUTSON, CHARLES

KNUTSON, GOBIC, BERGESON, STOCKLAND, SEWARDSON

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 2/2/2004 at 13:13:26

Biography reproduced from page 351 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Charles Knutson, one of the best known and most successful farmers of Kossuth county, was born in La Salle county, Illinois, June 8, 1969, a son of Iver and Dorothy (Gobic) Knutson, both of whom were natives of Norway. Iver Knutson was by trade and occupation a brick and stone mason and followed the business of his craft until the time of his emigration to America, which occurred in 1845. He reached Chicago, Illinois, at that unfortunate period of Chicago’s history when the city was in the throes of an epidemic of cholera. The alarming situation which confronted him changed his purpose of locating in Chicago and he at once left for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he remained but a short time and then sought his home and fortune in La Salle county, Illinois, locating at Leland where he rented a small farm which he afterward purchased for twelve dollars per acres, a price which seems ridiculous now, considering that this same land is today worth two hundred and fifty dollars per acre. Having selected at first the locality and the farm which seemed in his judgment to be the best available at the time, he applied himself at once to making a home for himself and family and here he spent the remaining years of his life. At the time of his settlement in La Salle county the country was new and the hardships were many, but he was a man who was born with the staying qualities of a pioneer and knew how to grapple with the rugged elements of adversity and reduce them and turn them to his advantage. A long voyage of nine weeks in the old-type sailing vessel with his wife and two children brought him at last to a new country, with but little means to overcome the difficulties facing him day after day. When finally he had succeeded in producing crops from the virgin soil of the prairies of Illinois, he was prepared to make the long and tiresome journey required to reach the nearest market, which at that time was Chicago. Two weeks was required for each trip by ox team, and the net result of one load of good Illinois wheat yielded him the handsome sum of two dollars in cash! Such a reward secured from the time, labor and hardship required would seem forbidding and disheartening; but the continuous practice of patience, industry and frugality, always cardinal virtues of the determined pioneer, brought better times to the home with the passing years. Iver Knutson became the father of a large family. The two oldest boys, Lewis and Knute entered the army during the Civil war and gave their lives for their country. John died at the age of seventeen years. Sara, Dora and Martha are deceased. Louis and Dora (second of the name) reside at Earlville, Illinois. Daniel owns and lives upon his farm in Grant township, Kossuth county. John (second of the name) lives with his brother, Charles, at Swea City, Iowa. It is interesting to note that twenty-seven years of family history is recorded between the birth of the eldest son and that of Charles, the subject of this biography. The father of this family died in 1896 and the mother died several years later, both passing away on the old farm, both John and Charles, their sons, remaining with them to the end. The old home farm at Leland, Illinois, still sacred to the memory of the father and mother who once toiled there that they might give to their children a better “bringing up” than theirs had been, still remains in the family and is the property of John Knutson.

Charles Knutson was reared on the farm where he was born and attended the district schools. He remained on the home farm until thirty-one years of age and continued to reside with his parents until their death. In 1901 he purchased a farm near Pioneer, Humboldt county, Iowa, on which he lived for one year, at the end of which time he sold this place and purchased one hundred and sixty acres two miles north of Swea City, Kossuth county, Iowa, where he resided for the brief period of six months, and on selling this place he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land north of Swea City, to which he has added nine acres since the original purchase. This beautiful farm adjoins the city limits of Swea City and is one of the best known farms in the county. Mr. Knutson is a very extensive dealer in stock, specializing in horses. These he buys among the farmers of Iowa and when they are ready for sale they are shipped to his brother, Louis Knutson, who owns and operates a large sales stable at Earlville, Illinois. Charles Knutson was one of the organizers of the Swea City Farmers Elevator Company, of which he was president until the spring of 1911 and in which company he is still a stockholder and director. He is also a stockholder in the Swea City Cooperative Creamery Company.

On the 6th of September, 1899, Mr. Knutson was married to Miss Isabelle Bergeson, whose birth occurred at Earlville, Illinois, on the 18th of September, 1876. To this union have been born five children: Olive, aged twelve, who is a student in the public schools at Swea City; Clarence, aged ten, who also attends school at Swea City; Allen Dale, aged eight, who is attending school; Fern Vivian, aged six, who is at home; and Earle, aged four. The wife of our subject is a daughter of Ole and Augusta (Stockland) Bergeson. Her father was born in Norway, June 24, 1822, and was a son of Berge and Melinda Bergeson, also natives of that country. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Knutson was a farmer by occupation and died in Norway. His widow came to America and settled in La Salle county, Illinois. Her demise occurred in Lee county, Iowa, thirty years ago. Ole Bergeson, the father of Mrs. Knutson, emigrated to America in 1857 and settled near Norway, Illinois. He was a farmer by occupation and died in La Salle county, Illinois, April 22, 1902. His wife was a daughter of Peter and Julia (Sewardson) Stockland, natives of Norway. Peter Stockland was a shipbuilder by trade and came to this country in 1857, settling in Earl township, La Salle county, Illinios, at which place he died in 1903.

Mr. Knutson is a democrat and a man to be relied upon whenever the interests of his party call for loyal cooperation and support. He has been a trustee of Harrison township for a period of four years and is numbered among the most substantial and useful citizens of this county, having a record of long residence filled with varied and efficient public service rendered in the interests of state and county.