SPONHEIM, Endre A.

SPONHEIM, ELLINGSTON, EIDNES, LUND

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 6/1/2010 at 15:59:38

Much has been written about the "secret of success," but there is no secret of success. Plain, careful, open and above board fair dealing with everybody and service performed by men of ability trained for their chosen work—in this lies success—a fact which Endre A. Sponheim recognized, so that these qualities were made his standards of activity in the business world. He has therefore steadily advanced and is today one of the most prominent merchants of St. Ansgar, where he has been engaged in the dry goods trade since 1900.

He was born September 23, 1870, at Ulvik, Hardanger, Norway, a son of A. H. and Synneva K. Sponheim, who in the year 1892 came to the United States and settled on a farm near St. Ansgar, the father devoting his remaining days to general agricultural pursuits. He was born in June, 1834, and passed away July 8, 1911, while his wife, whose birth occurred on May 17, 1830, died on the 13th of March, 1913, in the eighty-third year of her age. In their family were nine children: Knute, deceased; Carrie, the wife of Sam Ellingston, of St. Ansgar; Magnus, living in Mitchell county; Henry, also of Mitchell county; Emma, the wife of L. Eidnes, of Rock Creek; Ole, who died at the age of twenty-eight years; Helge, living in Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Endre A., of this review; and Amund. who is living on a farm near Columbus, North Dakota.

Endre A. Sponheim spent the days of his early boyhood in Norway, where he attended school. It was in 1888 that he came to the new world, then a young man of about eighteen years, and made his way at once to Osage, Mitchell county, Iowa. He afterward had the advantage of instruction in the Valder Business College at Decorah, Iowa. On coming to the new world he became identified with farming interests and was active along that line until 1896, since which time he has been connected with the dry goods trade. In 1900 he opened his store in St. Ansgar and through the intervening period has built up a business of large and gratifying proportions. He now carries an extensive stock, care­fully selected, and his business methods commend him to the support of the public. Ever recognizing the fact that satisfied patrons are the best advertise­ment, he has put forth every effort to please his customers, and his reasonable prices and honorable dealing have made of his undertaking a profitable mer­cantile enterprise. He is likewise one of the stockholders of the First National Bank of St. Ansgar and he is interested in real estate in Dakota.

On the 3d of March, 1906, in St. Ansgar, Mr. Sponheim was united in marriage to Miss Jennie M. Lund, a daughter of A. N. Lund, and they have become the parents of two children, Dorothy Adeline and Andrew Laurence.

Mr. and Mrs. Sponheim are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and he is identified with the Knights of Pythias lodge, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Commercial Club, being a charter member of the last named. His political endorsement is given to the republican party and for several years he served as a member of the city council, exercising his official prerogatives in support of many measures for the general good. Mr. Sponheim is a self-made man and his example should serve to inspire and encourage others. Start­ing with the meager salary of ten dollars per month, he gained a foothold and from that time he has steadily progressed until he is numbered among the most prominent and successful business men and valued citizens of his town.

Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, Vol. II, 1918, page 215.