Otto Beckjorden

BECKJORDEN, GJERDE, COLLEY

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 9/15/2005 at 21:06:14

Otto Beckjorden, assistant cashier of the Winnebago State Bank, with which institution he has been connected since 1909, was born August 26, 1879, in the county where he still resides, a son of Halvor and Homelin (Gjerde) Beckjorden, natives of Norway. The father located in Wisconsin in 1871 and the mother settled in Dane county, that state, in 1872. Both came to Winnebago county, Iowa, in 1876, and their marriage occurred in this county the following year. The father was a farmer by occupation and through the cultivation of the soil provided for the support of his family until death ended his labors. His widow is still living and makes her home in Forest City. They were the parents of four children, those besides our subject being: Martin; Henry; and Bessie, who married Magnus Isaacson of Forest City.

Otto Beckjorden supplemented his public school education, acquired near his father's farm, by six months' study in the Albert Lea College of Minnesota and in Ellsworth College at Iowa Falls. Through vacation periods he worked in the fields and as a young man continued to labor on the home farm until December, 1906. At that date he was called to the position of deputy county auditor and served for two years. In 1909 he entered the Winnebago County State Bank, the oldest financial institution of the county, and after three years preliminary service, in which he was constantly gaining knowledge of the various phases of the banking, business, he was made assistant cashier in 1912 and has now filled that position for five years.

In 1905 Mr. Beckjorden was married to Miss Emma Colley, of this county, a daughter of J. T. Colley, a farmer, and they now have two children, Harold and, Evelyn May. Mrs. Beckjorden is a member of the Baptist churcb while Mr. Beckjorden holds membership with the Brotherhood of American Yeomen and the Modern Woodmen of America. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and while not an office seeker be is now serving as school treasurer of the independent school district of Forest City. He stands for all that is progressive in the public life of the community and gives stalwart support to those interests which are a matter of civic virtue and civic pride.

Source: History of Winnebago and Hancock counties, Iowa, 1917, Vol. II, page 266.