A. O. Stalheim

STALHEIM, ANDERSON, JURGENSON, SANDEN

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 12/20/2008 at 20:22:57

Winnebago county has no more progressive or up-to-day farmer living in its midst than A. O. Stalheim, who owns and operates a highly improved farm on section 21, Norway township. He was born in Norway on the 17th of November, 1864, and is a son on Ole and Olina (Andrea) Anderson, also native of that country, where the mother died. The father, who is a farmer by occupation, is still living there. In their family were seven children, all of whom are still living. Two are still in Norway but five have come to the new world.
Mr. Stalheim of this review is the oldest of the family. In his native land he grew to manhood, being nineteen years of age when he came to the United States alone to try his fortune, believing that better opportunities were afforded young men on this side of the Atlantic than in the older countries of Europe. His destination was Sharon, Wisconsin, where he worked as a section hand on the railroad for eight years, but has since devoted his time and attention to farming. He was twenty-seven years of age when he arrived in Winnebago county and for several years was employed as a farm hand in Norway township. Later he engaged in farming for himself upon rented land and in 1910 purchased the northwest quarter of section 21, Norway township, where he now makes his home. In con­nection with the operation of his own land he cultivates the southeast quarter of section 20, which he rents.

Since buying his farm Mr. Stalheim has made many improvements thereon. He has remodeled the residence, making it modern in every respect, and has built the finest barn in Winnebago county and perhaps in the northern part of the state. It is a large cement foundation structure with the upper part of frame, with cement floors, Lowden' stanchions and stalls, electric lights and water, sewer and ventilating tubes. There are refuse carriers traveling on suspended overhead tracks and each stall has individual convertible feeding and watering cement troughs. Mr. Stalheim is now planning to build a hog barn on the same plan and also a cess tank for refuse. When these are completed he will have one of the most modern and up-to-date farms in the state, with all its equipment efficient and sanitary.

At the age of nineteen years Mr. Stalheim was married in Wisconsin to Miss Mary Jurgenson, whose parents never came to the United States but she came over on the same ship with her husband. To them were born three children, namely: Ole, who is married and living near Northwood, Iowa; Nels, who is also married and living near Joice, Iowa; and Edward, who is single and at home. The mother of these children died in Wisconsin in 1895 and was buried at Jefferson Prairie, that state. Mr. Stalheim was again married in 1897, his second union being with Miss Mary Sanden, a daughter of Erick and Katrina Sanden, of Norway township, Winnebago county, Iowa, who are now deceased and are buried in Lime Creek cemetery. There was one child by this marriage, Gina, at home.

The family hold membership in the Synod Lutheran church and are people of prominence in the community where they reside. Since becoming an American citizen Mr. Stalheim has affiliated with the republican party but has taken no active part in politics aside from voting.

Source: History of Winnebago and Hancock Counties, Vol. II, 1917, pages 281 & 282.