Ole I. Martinson

MARTINSON, ODDEN, DAHLE, HOLSTAD, SOLOMONSON, MOEN, JOHNSON, PETERSEN, OLSON

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 2/2/2010 at 06:02:23

OLE I. MARTINSON

Ole I. Martinson, a well known farmer residing on section 29, Norway township, Winnebago county, was born on the 29th of March, 1853, in Norway, of which country his parents, Ingebrit and Gertrude (Odden) Martinson, were also natives. There the father worked as a day laborer until our subject was six years of age when he brought his family to America and first located in LaFayette county, Wisconsin. After spending six years in that locality he started westward with an ox team and on reaching Winnebago county, Iowa, purchased two hundred and twenty acres of land on section 27, Norway township, where he followed farming throughout the remainder of his life. He died December 11, 1911, aged seventy-nine years, honored and respected by all who knew him, and his widow now lives on the old homestead with their son Henry I., and is ninety-two years old. In the family are seven children, all living, of whom Ole I. is the oldest, the others being Carrie, now the wife of John Dahle, living near Kiester, Minnesota; M. I., a resident of Norway township, Winnebago county; Anna, the wife of G. Holstad, of Worth county, Iowa; A. I., of Norway township; Sarah, the wife of S. O. Solomonson, of Logan township, Winnebago county: and Henry I., living on the old homestead.

Ole I. Martinson began his education in the public schools of LaFayette county, Wisconsin, and continued his studies in the district schools of Winnebago county after the removal of the family to this state. On leaving school at the age of sixteen years he gave his father the benefit of his labors on the home farm until he attained his majority and then bought the south half of the northeast quarter of section 29, Norway township, and began farming on his own account. He has improved the place and is still engaged in its operation.

In 1871 Mr. Martinson married Miss Celia Moen, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Erick E. Moen, who were old settlers of Norway township but have now passed to the world beyond and are buried in Lime Creek cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Martinson have ten children, namely: Ed, a resident of Lake Mills; Martin, living near Twin Lakes, Minnesota; Louis, Ingebrit, Bertine and Emma, all at home; Rachel, the wife of L. P. Johnson, of Norway township: Ella, the wife of Edwin Petersen, of the same township; Inger, the wife of A. S. Moen, also of Norway township; and Louisa, the wife of L. J. Olson, of Logan township, Winnebago county.
The republican party has always found in Mr. Martinson a stanch supporter of its principles since he became of age, and he has taken quite an active part in local affairs, serving as school director a number of years, as township trustee six years and as road supervisor the same length of time. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Synod Lutheran church and his life has ever been in harmony with his professions.

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. 476-477.