Ole Torstenson

TORSTENSON

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 4/13/2005 at 22:56:02

Ole Torstenson was born in Norway, Sept. 24, 1835. He left that country and came to America in 1846. He went to Green Co., Wis., resided there until he was twenty-one years old, and then came to Worth county in 1856, and attended the land sale at Osage. He bought 160 acres of land in township 100, the present site of Northwood village. He also owned the tribe lands south of the mills at Northwood. He then sold to John Q. Adams, of New York, about 1857. After selling out he came to Bristol township, and had a man by the name of Amos Levison, now of Brookfield township, to enter the land for him. Mr. Torstenson thereby secured 160 acres, where he now lives, on section 5, of this township. He was married to Rosa Emmerson in May, 1869. She was born in Norway in 1850. They have eight children – Margaret, Mary, Torson, Canute and Caroline, twins, Isabelle, Oscar and Amos. Mr. Torstenson is a member of the German Lutheran Church. Politcally he is a republican. He enlisted in Company B, 32d Regiment, Iowa Volunteers, in 1863, Christmas day, and served one year and seven months. He was in several different engagements; the battle of Red River under Gen. Banks. He was at first battle of Nashville, Tenn., and at the battle of Fort Blakely, at Mobile, Ala. He was discharged at Montgomery, Ala after the war was over, and returned home to Iowa, where he has resided in Bristol township ever since.

Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1883, Page 714 &715.