KLEMESRUD, Harald K. 1859-1935

KLEMESRUD, MAAKESTAD

Posted By: County Coordinator (kermit)
Date: 2/6/2010 at 15:28:54

Harald K. Klemesrud

Harald K. Klemesrud was born in Hedalen, Valdres, Norway on June 1, 1859. In 1876 he immigrated with his parents to America, settling first near Black Earth, WI, and two years later coming to Cedar Township in Mitchell County.

He was confirmed in the Rock Creek Lutheran church (which his father helped found and build) by the Rev. Johan Olson and some years later this same pastor united him in marriage with Ingeborg Maakestad.

He was ill less than three days. He awakened early Saturday morning with severe pains from neuritis of the heart and lungs, and from this illness did not recover. It is thought that over-exertion and exposure to the cold while busy each day at his farm, where building operations were in progress, brought on the illness.

Mr. Klemesrud came with his parents to Cedar Township when but a lad of eight years, and in the time that followed he saw, and later had a part in the transformation that change the prairies of seventy years ago into the modern community of today. His father, skilled in carpentry and cabinet making, built many of the buildings on the early pioneer farms and constructed much of the furniture for the homes. As Harald grew older he helped his father with the carpenter work as well as with the farming.

When still a young man he began pioneering in his own right by purchasing a well-drilling machine and drilling wells, a much-needed service at that time. Most of those wells are still in use.

In 1896, in company with his brothers, he purchased a threshing rig and each fall carried on extensive threshing operations. He continued as a thresher man for thirty-eight years, this fall being the first year he was not out with the machine. During later years this work was on a much smaller scale.

Schooled by the hardships of early pioneering, he learned to meet adversity stoically, and carved for himself a rugged Christian character from the stony quarries of his day. Always active and a hard worker, even up to the day of his last illness he endeavored to smooth the paths for those who follow. This undaunted spirit lives to perpetuate his memory.

During his lifetime he showed a deep interest in church, school and civic affairs. He served as trustee of the Rock Creek Lutheran church for several years, acted as treasurer, and later was chairman of the building committee when the edifice was remodeled. He was also president of the Farmers Grain Exchange at Rudd for a time, served as director in the Rock Creek Creamery association, was president of the Cedar Township school board for many years and served as township trustee.

Mr. Klemesrud suffered several serious illnesses during his life. Twenty-eight years ago blood poisoning settled in his right knee and kept him in bed for six months. He was never again able to bend his leg and it was two years before he regained his strength.

Since moving to Osage in 1923, he suffered a broken leg, had another case of blood poisoning, and two years ago had a stroke that left him somewhat handicapped. He continued fairly active, however, although the work he insisted on doing was performed with difficulty. A few days after his stroke some of the building on his farm burned and he was engaged in rebuilding them at the time of his death.

Besides his wife, eight children survive: Lillie, Herbert, Olaf, Clarence, Ruth, and Lorin, of this vicinity; Theodore, of Thompson; and Eleanor, of Chicago. A son and daughter preceded him in death: Omer Karl died in infancy and Cora Odella died on December 21, 1918.

Also surviving are one sister and two brothers: Mrs. Carrie Carlson, Herman, and Syver. Six grandchildren also survive: Robert, Kent, James, Bonnie, Cleone, and Mary Lou.

Funeral services were held on Thursday afternoon at 1 o’clock at the Shelledy Funeral home and at 2 o’clock at the Rock Creek Lutheran church. Interment was made in the Rock Creek cemetery.