ERICKSON, ERICK

ERICKSON, ANDERSON, BURGESON, STENBORN

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 4/27/2004 at 07:30:38

Biography reproduced from page 256 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Erick Erickson is one of the progressive younger farmers of Swea township living on section 8 and, assisted by his brother-in-law, Albion Burgeson, is operating one hundred and sixty acres of fine land. He was born in Sweden, a son of Erick and Anna Anderson, both natives of that country. The father was a farmer and spent his entire life in the land of his nativity, passing away there in 1897, while the mother is still living in the old country.

Erick Erickson was educated in Sweden and until he attained man’s estate assisted his father on the farm. In 1888 he emigrated to America, settling in Eagle township, Kossuth county, Iowa, and has since remained a resident of this county. He engaged in agricultural pursuits in Eagle township until the fall of 1892, and in the following spring removed to the farm in Swea township, upon which he is now living. Besides the one hundred and sixty acres he is operating with his brother-in-law, he is farming eighty acres located in Eagle township. He does general farming and raises sufficient cattle and hogs to feed all the product of two hundred and forty acres.

Mr. Erickson was married September 23, 1893, to Miss Josephine Burgeson, a daughter of Christian and Mary Ann (Stenborn) Burgeson, both of whom were natives of Switzerland. The father emigrated to America with his family in 1871 and settled in Bangor, Maine, where for two years he labored as a teamster. He then removed to Massachusetts and later to Rhode Island, being employed at farm work for six years in those states. In 1880 he removed with his family to Kossuth county and settled in Swea township, where he became a well known and prosperous farmer. He resided there until 1909 and then removed to Eagle township, where he was killed, July 14, of the following year, by falling from a haystack on his farm. His widow is now residing with Mr. and Mrs. Erickson, with whom she has made her home since the death of her husband. To Mr. and Mrs. Erickson have been born five children, Forrest, Milton, Florence, Bernice and Allen.

In his political faith Mr. Erickson is a republican. Both he and his wife are members of the Swedish Baptist church of Swea township, being active in the affairs of that institution. Mr. Erickson is recognized as being one of the progressive and able young farmers of his township where he is very popular, having a large number of close personal friends who hold him in high esteem. He practices up-to-date methods in his farm work, at which he has been very successful, and his reputation for integrity is unquestioned.