Severt L. Hamersland

HAMERSLAND, BOUGE, BOYD

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 1/26/2010 at 04:18:19

SEVERT L. HAMERSLAND

Norway has furnished to Winnebago county many of its substantial and valued citizens and this number includes Severt L. Hamersland, who resides on section 32, Forest township. He was born January 2, 1874, in the land of the midnight sun, his parents being Barney and Belle (Bouge) Hamersland, who were also natives of Norway. They came to America in 1877 and first settled in Lee county, Illinois, where the mother passed away, after which the father came to Iowa, establishing his home in Story county, where he is still living. In the family were six children and four of the number still survive.

Severt L. Hamersland was a little lad of but three summers when brought to the new world and much of his boyhood and youth was passed in Story county, Iowa, where he attended the public schools and through the summer months worked upon the home farm, early becoming familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. He remained at home until he attained his majority and then rented a farm in Story county, upon which he lived for a decade. In 1910 he purchased the farm upon which he now resides on section 32, Forest township, Winnebago county, comprising a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land which is naturally rich and productive and which responds readily to the care and labor which he bestows upon it, producing excellent crops of corn, wheat and other cereals. He is at once practical and progressive in his methods and the neat and thrifty appearance of his place indicates his careful supervision. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator at Forest City.

On December 14, 1900, Mr. Hamersland was married to Miss Anna Boyd, a native of Illinois, and they have become the parents of six children: Beatrice, Annette, Earl, Knute, Willard and Hazel. The parents are consistent and faithful members of the Lutheran church and their many sterling traits of character have won for them the confidence and goodwill of all with whom they have been brought in contact. Mr. Hamersland is a self-made man, for he started out empty handed to earn his living and from that point has steadily progressed, reaching the position which he now occupies as one of the substantial and respected citizens of Winnebago 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. 508-509.