Hartvig Sorenson

SORENSON

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 10/2/2005 at 22:44:35

Hartvig Sorenson, who follows farming on section 17, Fertile township, Worth county, was born in Tromso, Norway, on the 1st of October, 1874, a son of Soren and Hansina (Hanson) Sorenson, both of whom were natives of the land of the midnight sun, where the father followed farming and fishing. They never came to the United States and both have now passed away.

Hartvig Sorenson obtained his education in the schools of Norway and he, too, took up fishing and sailing as a life work. He was thus engaged until 1893, when he determined to try his fortune in America, attracted by the favorable reports which he had heard concerning the new world and its opportunities. He was a young man of nineteen years when he crossed the Atlantic in 1893, settling in Fertile township, Worth county. He was without capital and his financial condition rendered it imperative that he obtain immediate employment. He began work as a farm hand and spent a year in that way. On the expiration of that period he was married and rented a farm but after a short time purchased his present property, of which he became owner in 1898. His first purchase, however, embraced only sixty acres, to which he has since added from time to time until he now has one hundred and forty acres in his home farm, together with one hundred and sixty acres in McKenzie county, North Dakota. He has made many modern improvements upon his home place, which is supplied with every up-to-date equipment. The fields yield to him ready return for the care and cultivation he bestows upon them and into his barns are annually gathered large crops of the cereals best adapted to soil and climatic conditions here.

In 1894 Mr. Sorenson was united in marriage to Miss Sina Erickson, a daughter of Erick and Catherina Simmonson. Mrs. Sorenson was born in Norway and came to the United States with her parents, who were also natives of that country and who settled first in Wisconsin, while subsequently they took up their abode in Fertile township, Worth county, where the father purchased a farm. Here he passed away a number of years ago, and the mother died May 16, 1918, at the advanced age of ninety-five years. To Mr. and Mrs. Sorenson have been born eight children: Peter, Martin, Emil, Palmer, Mabel, Sylvia, Hazel and Selmer.

Mr. and Mrs. Sorenson both hold membership in the Norwegian Lutheran church. His political endorsement is given to the republican party. When he left Norway he had very little means and on reaching the United States he started out with the laudable ambition of attaining success if it could be won through determined, indefatigable and honorable effort. He carefully saved his money, practicing the strictest economy until he was able to purchase a farm and he is today the owner of an excellent property as the result of his persistent labor. His life record indicates what can be accomplished by the foreign-born lad who seeks the opportunities of the new world, for in America labor is king and the rewards of effort come to those who diligently strive.

Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918, Vol. II, page 443.