Hans J. Knutson

KNUTSON, DAHL, EMMONS, LARSON, TERUM, GRUNHOVD, BRAATON, JELLE, NELSON, LIEN, GULBRANDSON

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 1/16/2010 at 07:40:31

HANS J. KNUTSON

No history of the pioneer development of Winnebago county would be complete without mention of Hans J. Knutson, who in the period of earliest development here established his home in Norway township and for many years thereafter was closely associated with agricultural interests. He was a native of Norway and his parents never left that land. It was in the year 1853 that he crossed the Atlantic and took up his abode in Dane county, Wisconsin, where he resided for three years. During that period he was united in marriage to Miss Ingeborg Dahl, who was also a native of Norway and came to America when about eighteen years of age in company with her sister, Mrs. H. G. Emmons, who was a representative of one of the first nine families to come to Winnebago county. It was in 1856 that these families left Dane county, Wisconsin, and with ox teams drove across the country to this locality. Although they settled near each other, the homes of some of the party were in Norway township, Winnebago county, while the others were in Worth county, Iowa, and Freeborn county, Minnesota. They were the families of Colben Larson, Hans J. Knutson, Ole Terum, Narve Grunhovd, Eric Braaton, H. G. Emmons, Hendrick Larson, Stengrim Jelle and Louis Nelson.

Hans J. Knutson took up a homestead on the southwest quarter of section 10, Norway township, Winnebago county, which he cleared, drained and improved, and as time passed he added to this the southeast quarter of section 9 and the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 10, making three hundred and sixty acres in all. This he converted into a fine farm and continued to engage in agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred on the 4th of March, 1888. His wife survived him for a long period, passing away on the 5th of January, 1906, when she was laid to rest by his side in Lime Creek cemetery. This worthy couple were the parents of five sons and two daughters, of whom the eldest, K. H., died in 1916. The others were: Tina, who became the wife of Iver Lien and died in 1914; Mary, the wife of Veger Gulbrandson, living in Albert Lea, Minnesota; Lewis H., who is still owner of the old homestead, which is now one of the best improved farms in Winnebago county; Ole, a resident of Emmons, Minnesota; and Magnus and Anton, who died in childhood.

Having deliberately chosen to become an American citizen, Hans J. Knutson was always loyal to the interests of his adopted land and proved his allegiance by active service during the Civil war when lie became one of the defenders of the Union. His regiment was attached to the army under the command of General Sherman, with whom he participated in various hotly contested campaigns as well as the march to the sea. When hostilities ceased he returned home, but never completely regained his health. His political allegiance was given to the republican party and he stood at all times for what he believed to be the best interests of the majority. He was an excellent farmer and through his own unaided efforts won prosperity. In the passing of Mr. and Mrs. Hans J. Knutson the county lost two of its best known and most worthy pioneer settlers. In the middle of the nineteenth century they had cast in their lot with the early residents of northern Iowa when the work of progress and improvement seemed scarcely begun in all this region. There were great tracts of uncultivated prairie land and the timber was uncut. Few roads had been made and it was a long distance to market. The country offered no advantages save that land was to be had at a very low figure. It required much strenuous effort, however, to convert it into productive fields, but this did not deter the Knutsons and other substantial Norwegian families that were here founded, and they should ever be remembered as among those who laid broad and deep the foundation for the present progress and prosperity of the county.

Source: History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol. II. Pioneer Publishing Company (Chicago), 1917. pp. 410-411.