Nels Larson

LARSON, ANDERSON, FOLKEN, KNUTSON, BILSTE, HOLLAND

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 1/17/2010 at 09:03:06

NELS LARSON

Nels Larson, who for a long period was identified with farming interests in Logan township, Winnebago county, spent his last days in honorable retirement in Scarville, where he passed away on the 20th of August, 1913. He was born in Denmark, February 3, 1854, a son of Louis and Trena Larson, both of whom passed away in Denmark.

It was in the common schools of his native country that Nels Larson pursued his education to the time that he was confirmed. When eighteen years of age he crossed the Atlantic to the new world, attracted by the better business opportunities that he believed he might secure on this side the water. For three years he lived in Dane county, Wisconsin, and then came to Iowa, establishing his home near Northwood, in Worth county, where he cultivated a rented farm for five years. He then removed to Logan township, Winnebago county, and after renting land for two years he purchased the east half of the southwest quarter of section 11 and also an eighty-acre tract on section 14, thus becoming the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land, upon which he placed all the improvements. He converted this farm from a comparatively wild tract into a highly developed place equipped with all the accessories and conveniences of the model farm of the twentieth century. He brought his fields to a high state of cultivation and annually gathered good harvests as a reward for his practical methods of tilling the soil. He was thus engaged in general farming until 1913, when he sold his farm and removed to Scarville, but was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, for there he passed away on the 20th of August, of that year, when in the sixtieth year of his age.

On April 2, 1878, Mr. Larson was united in marriage to Miss Anne Sofie Anderson, a daughter of Christian and Susan Anderson, who were natives of Norway, where they were reared and married, and there their daughter Sofie was born. In the year 1855 they came with their family to the United States, settling in Dane county, Wisconsin, where they resided for five years. On the expiration of that period they removed to Freeborn county, Minnesota, where they lived for eight years, and later they came to Winnebago county. Here Mr. Anderson purchased a farm in Norway township and continued thereon to engage in general agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in September, 1907. The mother died in August, 1907. To Mr. and Mrs. Larson were born seven children. Christopher, now a resident of Scarville, married Miss Ingre Folken and they have five children, William, Thea, Lucy, Luther and Ingeborg. Walter, who is living near Joice, married Hilda Knutson, who died, leaving two children, Clifford and Laura. Dena is the wife of Ole Bilste, of Lake Mills, and their children are five in number, Walter, Palnia, Lillian, Reuben and Valborg. Laura is the wife of Martin Holland, whose home is near Joice, and they have two children, Stanford and Norman. Albert wedded Nettie Brakke and follows farming near Joice. Nels S. and Benjamin are at home with their mother, the family residence being still maintained in Scarville, where Mrs. Larson and her sons are widely and favorably known.

Mrs. Larson holds membership in the United Lutheran church. In his political views Mr. Larson was a democrat, but did not seek nor desire office, preferring to concentrate his attention and energies upon his farming interests. He, too, was a member of the United Lutheran church and was laid to rest in the Lutheran cemetery at Scarville. He never had occasion to regret his determination to come to the new world, for he found here favorable business opportunities and in their utilization worked his way upward in a financial way and at his death was able to leave his family in comfortable circumstances.

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. 453-454.