T. K. Cleven

CLEVEN, HAUGEN, MELBY, JOHNSON

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 1/21/2010 at 04:58:53

T. K. CLEVEN

T. K. Cleven, devoting his time and energies to general farming on section 9, Logan township, Winnebago county, is a self-made man whose prosperity is attributable entirely to his own labors. He was born in Valders, Norway, March 16, 1867, and is a son of Knut and Ragnild T. (Haugen) Cleven, who were farming people, their son, T. K. Cleven, being their only child. The father died when he was but a year old, after which he was brought by his mother to the United States when a little lad of three summers. They made the voyage in company with her parents, Tostin T. and Cure (Melby) Haugen, who went to the home of their son Gulbrand, then living upon a farm in Logan township, Winnebago county, Iowa, now owned by Mr. Cleven. Gulbrand Haugen had purchased his farm, comprising fifty-four acres on the northwest quarter of section 10, had cleared it and placed it under the plow and to it added many improvements. He continued there to engage in farming until his death, when he was laid to rest in Center township, where also repose the remains of his parents.

Mrs. Cleven and her son remained with her parents and her brother until T. K. Cleven had reached an age where he was able to work and provide for the support of himself and mother. He started out as a farm hand and while thus employed carefully saved his earnings until in 1891 he felt justified in making the purchase of a tract of land. He then secured eighty acres of the southeast quarter of section 9, Logan township, which he cleared and cultivated, and has since made his home upon that property. He is today regarded as one of the enterprising and progressive agriculturists of his locality and in addition to his home place he owns an interest in a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Marshall county, Minnesota, and also the old Haugen homestead. He was also at one time a director of the Vinje Creamery. His land has been, brought under a high state of cultivation and he has added many modern and substantial improvements to his farm.

On June 18, 1898, Mr. Cleven was united in marriage to Miss Margareta Maria Johnson, a daughter of D. N. and Sarah Johnson, who were early settlers of Norway township. They have become the parents of six children: Daniel G., Rhinehardt T., Selmer L., Gilbert A., Louis S., and Selma R., all at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Cleven hold membership in the United Lutheran church and are highly esteemed people of the community in which they live. In politics he is a republican and for eight years he filled the office of justice of the peace, rendering decisions which were strictly fair and impartial. He is now serving as secretary of the school board and at all times he is deeply interested in the welfare and progress of the community in which he resides, co-operating in many plans and measures for the public good. In a business way, too, he deserves much credit for what he has accomplished, for his diligence and enterprise have been the basis of his success.

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. 84-85.