Kloster, Thorvald 1868-1955

KLOSTER, NIELSEN

Posted By: Linda Mohning, volunteer (email)
Date: 5/27/2012 at 06:04:15

One of the most progressive farmers of Fredonia township is Thorvald Kloster. The stranger finds, upon visiting his place, everything in good repair and he runs his farm under a proper system. Such a man sets a good example to his neighbors and is a leader in the community.

Mr. Kloster was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, December 19, 1867. He is the son of Jens A. and Laurentine Kloster, both natives of Denmark, where they grew up and where the father followed school teaching until after the Danish and Prussian war, when he resigned as a teacher and engaged in banking and mercantile pursuits at Rudding [Roedding], continuing in that line until within one year of his death, when lacking only one month of his ninetieth birthday. His widow is still living, making her home at Hoisens [Horsens]. They were parents of eleven children, six of whom lived to maturity; four are making their homes in America, namely; Andrew lives in America township, Plymouth county; Walter lives in Newkirk, Oklahoma; Thorvald, of this sketch; J.A. lives in Denmark; Eliza lives in Denmark; and Christ Peter lives in Fredonia township.

Thorvald Kloster spent his boyhood in his native place, where he was educated. After leaving school he worked with his father in the bank and store for three years, then went to Denmark and engaged one year in farming. In 1886 he came to America, landing in New York City, April 22. He came on west to Plymouth county, Iowa, and worked out as a farm hand in Fredonia township for two years, then he and his brother, Walter, began farming two hundred and forty acres, which they rented for eight years, then Thorvald bought one hundred sixty acres where he now lives, and having prospered as a general farmer and stock raiser, he has added to his original purchase until he now owns a valuable and well improved farm of three hundred and twenty acres. He has made all the improvements on the same, for it was raw prairie when he bought it. He has spent about eight thousand dollars in improvements. He has a commodious home and numerous outbuildings. He feeds a great deal of the grain that the place produces to his live stock, preparing large numbers of various kinds annually for the market. He deserves a great deal of credit for what he has accomplished, having landed at Le Mars with only fifty cents in his pocket.

Mr. Kloster was married in 1890 to Anna Sophia Nelson [Nielsen], and to their union ten children have been born, namely: Jens A. married Mary Nelson [Marie Nielsen] and they have one child, Edna; Herlit [Herlig] married Axel Petersen; Loventine [Laurentine] married Bunde Nelson [Nielsen] and they have two children, Alma [Elmer] and Millard [Mildred]; Christina married Hans Miller; Eliza, Charlotte, Anna, Niss [Nis], Edith and Nels [Niels] are all at home.

Politically, Mr. Kloster is a Democrat. He has filled the office of county supervisor for two years, discharging his duties in an able and satisfactory manner. He was school treasurer in his township for a period of sixteen years, and was also township trustee for some time. He belongs to the Evangelical Danish Lutheran church, with his family, and he has been a deacon in the same for twelve years.

Source: The History of Plymouth County, Vol. II, edited by W. S. Freeman, 1917