John O. Rusley

RUSLEY, CHRISTOPHERSON, HONSEY, WIKEREN

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 5/5/2006 at 04:19:15

John O. Rusley, now successfully operating the farm belonging to the Old Peoples Home on section 27, Center township, Winnebago county, was born in that township, August 20, 1879, and is a son of Ole and Hannah (Christopherson) Rusley, natives of Norway. It was during his childhood that the father came to America with his mother, reaching this country during the Civil war, about 1863, and locating in Wisconsin, where the family resided for three years. At the end of that time the family removed to Freeborn county, Minnesota, where Ole Rusley grew to manhood, but after living there for five years came to Winnebago county, Iowa, and purchased land in Center township, which he farmed until 1880. He then sold that place and bought a tract of land in Grant township, which he operated for ten years. On disposing of that farm he purchased another in Mount Valley township, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred on the llth of May, 1894, when he was forty-five years of age. His wife survived him several years, passing away in January, 1910, at the age of seventy-three years.

John O. Rusley was reared and educated in Grant and Mount Valley townships and remained under the parental roof until he attained his majority, in the meantime becoming thoroughly familiar with agricultural pursuits. On leaving home he became interested in the creamery business, to which he devoted his attention for ten years, and then resumed farming, having for the past seven years had charge of the farm belonging to the Old Peoples Home on section 27, Center township. This tract was donated by Ole J. Cleven for the purpose for which it is now used and consists of two hundred and forty acres of valuable land, which Mr. Rusley has placed under excellent cultivation. He makes a specialty of raising thoroughbred Duroc-Jersey hogs and keeps thirty head of cows for dairy purposes. He is not only a progressive and up-to-date farmer but is a man of good business ability and is now a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company and the Lake Mills Creamery at Lake Mills.

In 1905, Mr. Rusley married Miss Andrena Honsey, a daughter of Peter and Anna (Wikeren) Honsey, who came to the United States from Norway at an early day and located in Worth county, Iowa, where Mr. Honsey farmed for many years, but in 1915 retired from active labor and removed to Lake Mills, where he died on the 13th of April, 1917, at the age of eighty-five years. His widow is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Rusley have three children, namely: Agnes, born March 12, 1906; Glen, born November 6, 1911; and Opal, born February 14, 1914. The parents hold membership in the United Lutheran church, and in politics Mr. Rusley is a republican.

Source: History of Winnebago and Hancock Counties, Iowa, 1917,Vol II, page 498