Graves, Knut 1856 - 1926
GRAVES, ELLEFSON, HOILAND, THUNE, GARDEN, NETTEBERG
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 3/15/2015 at 11:22:54
KNUT GRAVES.
Knut Graves resides upon a farm of two hundred acres on section 18, Glenwood township, and has here made his home from the age of five years, or for more than half a century. He was born June 9, 1856, on the ship Hebe, a sailing vessel, while his parents were en route from Norway to America. He is the son of Ole and Barbara Graves, who spent the first summer after their arrival in the new world in Wisconsin and then came to Winneshiek county, Iowa. The father was in limited financial circumstances when he crossed the Atlantic. He worked as a farm hand for two or three years and by diligence and economy secured the money that enabled him to purchase the farm upon which his son Knut now resides. Taking possession of that place he at once began its development and improvement, living thereon to the time of his death, which occurred in 1881 when he was seventy years of age. The mother afterward went to South Dakota and spent the last seven years of her life in that state in the home of a daughter, closing her eyes in death in 1894, when she was seventy-five years of age. They were the parents of seven children: Lewis enlisted in 1862 as a member of Company K, Thirty-eight Iowa Volunteer Infantry, for service in the Civil war and died in a hospital at New Orleans in September, 1863, after defending the northern cause for about a year. Ole and Benny are residents of Minnehaha county. South Dakota, as is also Emma, the wife of I. E. Ellefson. Knut is next of the family. Martin is a resident of Minnehaha county, and John died in 1862 at the age of two years.
Knut Graves was but five years of age when his parents removed to the farm on section 18, Glenwood township, which has since been his place of residence. He today owns two hundred acres of good land, including the old homestead of one hundred and twenty acres, which was known as the Hoiland farm, thus named after his grandfather, Ole Hoiland. The place is today a well improved property, its attractive appearance being greatly enhanced by the efforts of our subject, who has worked diligently and persistently year by year and has wrought many pleasing changes in the farm. He tills the fields in the cultivation of cereals best adapted to soil and climate, and he also raises considerable stock. Diligence and determination are among his strong characteristics and have been leading features in winning for him his success.
In 1884 Mr. Graves was united in marriage to Miss Jane Thune, who was born in Winneshiek county, January 9, 1860, and has always resided within its borders. Her parents, Thomas and Sarah (Garden) Thune, were natives of Norway, came to this county in 1852, were married here and remained residents of the county until called to their final rest, the father devoting his entire life to general agricultural pursuits. He died in 1874 at the age of forty-five years and for two decades was survived by his wife, who passed away in 1894 at the age of sixty-one years. In their family were eight children: Holver, now living in Ada, Minnesota ; Mrs. Graves; Edwin S., of Decorah; George, a resident of Audubon, Minnesota ; Mary, living in Glenwood township; Alfred, of Pleasant township; Oscar, on the old home farm in Glenwood township; and Andrew, who died at the age of five years. Mr. and Mrs. Graves have become the parents of seven children: Lawrence, who owns and cultivates a claim in South Dakota; Beulah, the wife of Lyman Netteberg, of Lockhart, Minnesota; Oscar, who is on a claim in Harding county, South Dakota; Sylvan, on a claim in Harding county, South Dakota; Melvin and Kenniston, at home; and Jesse, who died at the age of one year.
Iowa was in the front rank of the states which gave strong support to the progressive party, showing that it has a class of citizens who are thinking men and who will no longer be bound by party ties—men who feel that in political affairs as well as in business continuous advancement should be made. Among this class is Mr. Graves, who, formerly voting with the republican party, is now a progressive. He has filled several local offices in acceptable manner, serving as township trustee, justice of the peace and school director. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Decorah and his life has been in harmony with his profession, showing him to be a man of sterling principles.
Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark Publishing Company 1913
Phelps Cemetery gravestone
Winneshiek Biographies maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen