TOLLEFSON, Abraham Theodore

TOLLEFSON, RUST, KNUDSDATTER

Posted By: Deidre Badker (email)
Date: 1/23/2016 at 07:34:13

Abraham Theodore Tollefson was born May 1, 1847 at Berg, Kragero, Telemark, Norway to Knud Berg Tollefson and Tarand Knudsdatter, the first of their nine children.

At age 2 (1849), he left Norway with his parents to emigrate to America. They arrived at Quebec, Canada and traveled on to settle at Dixon, Illinois. Two years later, the family moved to Rock Prairie, Wisconsin and finally they moved west to Mitchell County, Iowa.

Abraham married Leiv Mikkelsdatter Rust on December 28, 1870 at St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa.

The couple had 4 children:
Carl Thomas (1871-1934); Mikkel George (1876-1938); Alfred Lauritz (1881-1916) and Anna Hellena (1884 - 1969).

Found in the 1856 - 1920 censuses living near St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa:
1856: Knud Tollefson 38, S Tollefson 38, A Tollefson 9, T Tollefson 7, M Tollefson 5, L Tollefson 3, B Tollefson 2

1860: Knud Tollefson 42, Torand Tollefson 42, Abram Tollefson 13, Isabell Tollefson 12, Hellen Tollefson 10, Minnie Tollefson 7, Andrew Tollefson 6, Elizabeth Tollefson 4, Jefferson Tollefson 3, George Tollefson 1.

1870: Canute Tollifson 53, Tawanda Tollifson 52, A Theodore Tollifson 23, Isabel Tollifson 22, Helen Tollifson 21, Caroline Tollifson 18, Andrew Tollifson 16, Mary Tollifson 14, Jefferson Tollifson 12, George Tollifson 10, Benj F Tollifson 8.

1880: A. T. Tollefson 33, Louisa Tollefson 33, Carl Tollefson 8, George Tollefson 4, Anna M. Tollefson 34.

1885: Abraham Tollefson age 37.

1895: Abraham T Tollefson age 47.

1900: Theador Tollefson 53, Liv Tollefson 53, Alford L Tollefson 17, Annie H Tollefson 15.

1910: Abraham T Tollefsen 62, Liv Tollefson 63, George A Halvorsen 30, Annie K Halvorsen 25, Helena L Halverson 3 mos.

1915: A T Tollefson age 67

1920: Abraham T Tollefson 72, Live Tollefson 73.

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From a Mitchell County History Book:

Abram (or Abraham) Theodore Tollefson was educated in the common schools and remained with his parents until he was twenty-two years old. He then purchased forty acres of land, which he worked for one year and then traded for one hundred and sixty acres. This place he brought to a good state of cultivation and resided thereon until 1876, when he again made a very satisfactory exchange, obtaining the two hundred-and-forty-acre tract which he transformed into a highly improved farm and upon which he made his home until 1904, when he retired and removed to St. Ansgar. Preferred to use the name A T Tollefson.

He met with success as a farmer and accumulated sufficient capital to enable him to enjoy a period of leisure. He is a stanch democrat in politics and has held a number of offices. He has served as trustee, justice of the peace and a director of the school board, was for six years county supervisor and for four years was postmaster of St. Ansgar under appointment of President Cleveland. He has been influential in the direction of the affairs of St. Ansgar Seminary for years and is an ex-member of its board of regents. He has done much enthusiastic work in promoting projects for the upbuilding of his city and is numbered among its most valued residents. Fraternally, he is a Mason and in religious faith is a Norwegian Lutheran.

In 1870, he was married to Miss Liv Tollefson, who was born in Rock Prairie, Wisconsin, but in 1853 was brought to St. Ansgar by her parents, well known pioneers of Mitchell county. Four children have been born to this marriage, namely: C. T., who is a commercial traveler with headquarters in St. Ansgar; M. George, of this review; A. L., deceased; and Anna H., now Mrs. George Halvorson and a resident of St. Ansgar township.

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Abraham Tollefson died September 17, 1921 at St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa and was buried at the First Lutheran Cemetery, St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa.

Abraham's obituary can be found at this website, search the "Obituaries".
His will can be found in it's entirety on Ancestry.com.
There is a memorial for him at Find a Grave #23409466