EKHOLM, P. VICTOR

EKHOLM, ERICKSON, HEDIN, ZELERBERG, MARTIN, FELLERFELDT, JOHNSON, HARRIS, JENSEN, TEGELBERG, MUNSON, ANDERSON

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 4/28/2004 at 12:21:53

Biography reproduced from page 356 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

P. Victor Ekholm is a retired farmer living in his own well appointed home in Swea City, Kossuth county, and is owner of two hundred and forty acres of fine farm land. He was born in Sweden in 1845, a son of Peter and Sophia (Erickson) Ekholm, both natives of that country. The father, who was a cabinet-maker by trade, removed to America in 1870 and located in Algona, Iowa, spending the last thirteen years of this life in farming pursuits. The father and mother came to Algona on the first train that ran into that place from Austin, the Algona station at that time consisting of a box car. He lived for a year on the farm which he originally purchased and then moved into Greenwood township, now known as Seneca township. Greenwood township in 1870 included the entire northern part of Kossuth county. On this farm in 1884 the wife and mother passed away, while the father’s demise occurred in 1900. He made his home with his son, the subject of this review, at the time of his death. In the father’s family were eight children, including the following: Mrs. Anna Hedin, of Los Angeles, California; P. Victor, of this review; Mrs. Selma Zelerberg, of Sweden; and Mrs. Hilda Martin, of Los Angeles, California.

P. Victor Ekholm grew to manhood in the country of his nativity, where he received a good common-school education. In the spring of 1870, when he was twenty-five years of age, he came to America and lived for one year in New York. In 1871 he came to Kossuth county, Iowa, settling in Seneca township, where he bought out a homesteader who had one hundred and sixty acres of land. Here he erected improvements and brought his farm under a high state of cultivation, engaging in general farming until 1910, when he retired from active farm work and removed with is family to Swea City. His original holdings have been increased to two hundred and forty acres, that being the amount of land he now owns. In the spring of 1872 Mr. Ekholm broke the first twenty acres of land ever plowed in Swea township, Kossuth county. He did this work for Carlson Brothers, who owned land there but resided in the east. During the same spring he hauled lumber from Algona, of which was built the Immigrant Company’s Home, the first building in Swea township, it being erected by the father, Peter Ekholm, for the American Immigrant Company of Hartford, Connecticut. In this structure seven families were sheltered and for years it was used also as a place of religious worship. While engaged in hauling lumber from the river Mr. Ekholm had difficulty in keeping the trail and in order to mark the road he planted willow trees at some distance apart so that he could easily see from one to the other and thus planted trees the entire distance. In addition to the fine farm property and residence which Mr. Ekholm owns he is also a stockholder in the Seneca Creamery Company.

Mr. Ekholm was married on November 3, 1873, to Miss Maria Gustava Fellerfeldt, a daughter of Andrew and Anna Maria (Johnson) Fellerfeldt, both natives of Sweden, where they spent their entire lives. The father was a solider in the Swedish army and died in 1887, his wife surviving him by a few years. Mrs. Ekholm was born in Sweden and came to America in 1870, settling in New York. To this union were born eight children. Philip Victor died in 1909, at the age of thirty-five years, leaving a widow, and two children, May and Lilah, who reside in Seneca township. Lewis is engaged in farming in Forest City, Iowa. He married Miss Helen Harris, of Forest City, and they have three children, Vida, Harvey and Velda. Lydia resides at home. Rosena, who is the wife of Otto Jensen, a farmer of Seneca township, is the mother of two children, Eunice and Virgil. Conrad died in 1908, at the age of twenty-five years. Minnie is employed as a clerk in a store at Seneca, Iowa. Otto, who resides on the home farm in Seneca township, married Annetta Tegelberg, of Swea township, and they are the parents of one child, Melvin. Effie, who is engaged in teaching school in Seneca township, resides at home. Mr. and Mrs. Fellerfeldt were the parents of the following children: Maria Gustava, now Mrs. Ekholm; Mrs. Matilda Munson, of Alberta, Canada; and Miss Anna Sophia Anderson and Gustavus Anderson, both of whom reside in Sweden.

In his political views Mr. Ekholm is a republican and has for many years been prominently identified with party affairs in his township. He was for several years township trustee and was school director in district No. 2, Seneca township, for a number of years. He has also served as road supervisor of Seneca township. Both he and his wife are members of the Swedish Baptist church of Swea township, with which they have been affiliated since its organization, Mr. Ekholm being a trustee and deacon in the church, while his wife is a member of the Ladies’ Aid Society. Mr. Ekholm is among the greatly respected citizens of Kossuth county, where the family is well known and is everywhere held in high esteem. He has rendered valuable assistance in developing the resources of Kossuth county at a time when the country was new and pioneer life was attended with many hardships.