Gottorm Honsey

HONSEY, OLSON, REINES

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 2/17/2008 at 16:33:15

Gottorm Honsey is one of the oldest of the pioneer settlers of Winnebago county now living within its border, and it is with pleasure that we present the record of his life to our readers. He was born in Norway, April 15, 1836, and has therefore passed the eighty-first milestone of life's journey. His parents, Ole and Anna Honsey, both died in Norway and in that country Gottorm Honsey was reared and educated. Before leaving that country he was married in 1861, but immediately afterward sailed for the United States and became a resident of Dane county, Wisconsin, where he was employed at farm work for four years. In 1865 he came to Iowa and after a year spent in Worth county removed to Winnebago county in 1866. Here, in company with his brother, who had come to the new world with him, he purchased the southwest quarter of section 3 in Mount Valley township, and for three years he and his brother Peter cultivated their land in partnership. Gottorm Honsey then purchased his present home farm, on which he has resided for the past forty-eight years, and he is today one of the best known among the old pioneers of this section of the state. His farm was wild land when it came into his possession and thereon he built a log cabin which occupied for twenty years. He drove across the country from Wisconsin to Iowa with oxen and he used his ox team in tilling his soil and developing the fields. In fact, he became familiar with every phase of pioneer life and his industry and enterprise contributed largely to the early development and progress of this section of the state. In addition to his farming interests Mr. Honsey is a stockholder of the Farmers Cooperative Creamery Company of Lake Mills and was one of the organizers of the Lake Mills Lumber Company.

Mr. Honsey was united in marriage to Miss Mary Olson, by whom he had eight children, three of whom survive, as follows: Ole, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Mount Valley township, Winnebago county; Samuel, who cultivates the home farm; and Lena, the wife of Erik Reienes, who operates the home place in association with his brother-in-law, Samuel Honsey.

Politically Mr. Honsey is a republican and for many years he served as township trustee and in other local offices. He was also for a long period a member the school board and has ever been a stalwart champion of public education, He and his family are members of the United Lutheran church and his life has ever been guided by his Christian faith. His entire career has been an upright ad honorable one, winning for him the respect and confidence of those with whom has been associated, and in the evening of life he can look back over the past without regret and forward to the future without fear. He has never had occasion to wish that he had remained in his native land, for in America he found he opportunities which he sought and in their utilization won success.

Source: History of Winnebago and Hancock, Counties, Iowa, 1917, Vol. II, page 336.