Erick Olsen Kobbervig

KOBBERVIG, BRAGER, SPAANEM, OLSON, NELSON, MOE, DAKKEN, WILLARDSON

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 5/5/2006 at 03:58:58

Erick Olsen Kobbervig, living on section 31, Norway township, has been a resident of Winnebago county for forty-one years and throughout the greater part of this period has carried on general farming. He is a self-made man, his success being attributable entirely to his own efforts, and he is today the owner of two hundred and forty-three acres of rich and valuable land. He was born in Nordre Valders, Norway, September 25, 1846, a son of Ole 0. and Margaret 0. (Brager) Kobbervig, who were farming people of the land of the midnight sun, where they remained until 1852, when they crossed the Atlantic and made their way to Dane county, Wisconsin. They took passage on a sailing vessel which was thirteen weeks in crossing the Atlantic. The father took up farming in Dane county and there he and his wife spent their remaining days, both having now passed away. Three of their children were born in Norway, namely: Isabel, now the widow of Tostin Spaanem, of Mount Vernon, Wisconsin; Erick O.; and Arney, of Lake Mills. After coming to the United States, five others were added to the family: Martin, now living on the old homestead in Dane county; Maria, the wife of 0. S. Olson, of Lake Mills; Mrs. Anna Nelson, a widow residing in Minneapolis; Mattie, the wife of George Nelson, of Van Metre, South Dakota; and Ole, whose home is in Kalispell, Montana.

Erick 0. Kobbervig was a little lad of but five and one-half years when brought by his parents to the new world and in Dane county he acquired a common school education. When he was a youth of sixteen he put aside his textbooks to earn his living as a farm hand, and was thus employed until he reached the age of twenty-two. He then felt his age and experience were sufficient to enable him to engage in farming on his own account and from 1869 until 1876 he engaged in cultivating rented land in Dane county. On the 18th of January of the latter year be came with his family to Lake Mills, Iowa, and there resided for a few years, during which he engaged in the implement business. He next bought an eighty-three acre farm in Center township and has since added to his original purchase by acquiring the southeast quarter of section 31, Norway township, just across the road from his first tract. He has put all the improvements upon his place and his labors have converted it into a good farm which is the -visible evidence of his life of well directed energy and thrift. He is a stockholder in the Scarville Creamery Company, the Farmers elevators at Scarville and Lake Mills and the Savage Mail Order Company at St. Paul.

When twenty-five years of age, in January, 1872, Mr. Kobbervig was married to Miss Julia Olson, of Dane county, Wisconsin, whose parents were among the pioneer settlers there. One child born to this union died in infancy, while the others are still living, namely: Malina, who is the wife of T. J. Moe, of Lake Mills; Caroline, at home; Mattie, who is the wife of Henry Dakken, of Lake Mills; Otis, residing in Glasgow, Montana; Sarah, who gave her hand in marriage to Chris Willardson, of Albert Lea, Minnesota; Ella, at home; Agard, living in St. Paul, Minnesota; Leonard, at home; Wilford, who enlisted in the United States cavalry from Des Moines and is now stationed at Fort Logan, Texas; and Alpha, at home. The wife and mother passed away in September, 1910, and was laid to rest in North cemetery at Lake Mills. She had been devoted to her family and was a consistent member of the United Lutheran church, to which Mr. Kobbervig also belongs. His political endorsement is given to the democratic party, but he has never sought nor desired office. He served, however, on the school board at Lake Mills and as judge of elections several times, and he has ever been interested in those forces and movements which tend to promote public progress and improvement. His life has been an exposition of that industry and perseverance which characterize the Norwegian people and his activities have contributed much to the agricultural progress and development of Winnebago county. He has lived to witness many changes here, for he took up his abode within its borders in pioneer times and be aided in laying broad and deep the foundation upon which has been built the present progress and prosperity of the district.

Source: History of Winnebago and Hancock Counties, Iowa, 1917,Vol II, page 532