RUST, Nels

RUST, COLBERTSON, MICHAELSON, BOOS, PATTERSON

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 6/10/2009 at 16:31:56

Nels Rust was for many years a representative farmer of Mitchell county and by the careful management of his business affairs acquired a very substantial property, so that he left his family in comfortable circumstances when on the I2th of December, 1916, his labors were ended in death. He was born in St. Ansgar township, June 17, 1854, and was a representative of one of the pioneer families of this part of the state, his parents being Hans and Ingeborg (Colbertson) Rust, both of whom were natives of Hallingdal, Norway, where they were reared and married. Bidding adieu to the land of the midnight sun in 1852, they sailed for the new world and made their way to Rock county, Wisconsin, where they established their home. The following year, however, they left that place and came to Iowa with the Rev. Clauson, establishing their home with the Norwegian colony at St. Ansgar. They were the parents of seven children, of whom but two are now living: Olaus, whose home is in St. Ansgar township, Mitchell county; and Colbjern, who is now living retired in St. Ansgar.

Nels Rust spent his youthful days under the parental roof, experiencing many of the hardships and privations incident to frontier life while the father was making a start in the new world. His education was acquired in the common schools of St. Ansgar and his training was that of the home farm, so that he early became familiar with the duties and labors incident to the cultivation of the fields and the care of the crops. On the 18th of July, 1883, he was united in marriage to Miss Betsy Michaelson, who was born in Mitchell county and is a daughter of Lars and Ingeborg (Brecke) Michaelson, both of whom were natives of Hardanger, Norway, whence they crossed the Atlantic to the United States in 1854, taking up their abode in Wisconsin. They were married in Madison, that state, and afterward removed to Mitchell county. Mrs. Rust was born July 4, 1864, and spent her girlhood days on the home farm with her parents. Her father died in 1872, when she was but eight years of age, but the mother long survived, passing away in 1910. Their remains were interred in a cemetery in Rock township. The father was an enthusiastic church worker and a man of the highest principles. In the family were seven children, of whom two died in infancy, the others being: Sarah, the wife of Henry Boos of Langdon, North Dakota; Michael, who is living in Crescent, Idaho; Ed, whose home is at Thief River Falls, Minnesota; Lena, the wife of Dave Patterson, of Canada; and Mrs. Rust.

Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Rust settled upon a farm, for since 1875 Mr. Rust had engaged in farming on his own account, and as the years passed he prospered in his undertakings. He began with two hundred and forty acres of land and from time to time added to his holdings until he had nearly four hundred acres, constituting one of the rich and valuable farms of this section of the state. In 1915 he erected a new dwelling and outbuildings upon his place and made of it one of the highly improved farms of the district. His fields were most carefully and systematically cultivated and excellent results accrued. He was also the owner of stock in the creamery at St. Ansgar and in all business affairs he displayed sound judgment and unfaltering enterprise.

To Mr. and Mrs. Rust were born five children: Henry; Gilman; Frank and Ida, who are graduates of the Cedar Valley Seminary; and Nellie, who was graduated at Cedar Falls and is now a teacher at Manly, Iowa. The family circle was broken by the hand of death when on the 12th of December, 1916, Mr. Rust passed away and was laid to rest in St. Ansgar cemetery. He was a republican in his political views and although not an aspirant for office was long officially connected with the schools as a director and as president of the local school board, a position which he occupied for more than a quarter of a century. He was deeply interested in the cause of education and provided his children with excellent opportunities in that direction. He stood for progress along all those lines which have to do with the general welfare and he stood as a high type of American manhood and citizenship, honored and respected by all who knew him and most of all where he was best known.

Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918, Vol. II, page 16.