Christian Slattum

SLATTUM

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 10/2/2005 at 22:52:36

Christian Slattum, a resident farmer of Worth county, living on section 6, Fertile township, was born in Highland Prairie, Wisconsin, October 10, 1861, a son of Olavus C. and Martha (Slattum) Slattum, both of whom were natives of Norway, where they were reared and married. Soon afterward they came to the United States and took up their abode in Wisconsin, where they resided for five years, when they removed to Freeborn county, Minnesota. In the spring of 1878 they came to Worth county, settling on section 6, Fertile township, and becoming occupants of the farm now owned by their son Christian and adjoining his present home farm. They continued upon the old homestead throughout their remaining days and Mr. Slattum was numbered among the energetic and industrious agriculturists of his community. He brought his land under a high state of cultivation and added many modern improvements to his place, actuated ever by an earnest desire to acquire a comfortable competence and thus provide a good living for his family. He died in March, 1910, having for six years survived his wife, who passed away in 1904.

Christian Slattum was reared on the old homestead and pursued a district school education, attending school when the weather permitted or when there was no work to do at home the schoolhouse being three miles distant from the farm. Throughout the summer months he worked in the fields and he continued to assist in the cultivation and improvement of the old homestead until he reached his thirty-second year.

On the 20th of October, 1892, Mr. Slattum was united in marriage to Miss Julia Tweed, a daughter of John Tweed, one of the pioneer settlers of Worth county, who has now passed away. Mr. Slattum and his bride began their domestic life upon the home farm which they now occupy and which he had purchased five years before. A short time prior to his father's death he also bought the old Slatttum homestead, which he now owns. He still owns both properties and in 1914 he bought the old Swen Harlanson farm of eighty acres in Fertile township, making his present landed possessions two hundred and fifty acres. He has tiled and improved his farms, bringing them under a high state of cultivation and development. There are three sets of farm buildings upon his property and he has made his farms among the most valuable in Worth county.

To Mr. and Mrs. Slattum have been born six children, three sons and three daughters, namely: Mabel, John, Clarence, Amy, Irvin and Luella, all yet at home. In his political views Mr. Slattum is a republican and he and his wife are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church. He has a wide acquaintance in Fertile township and this section of the county and is held in high esteem by reason of his genuine worth. Whatever success he has achieved is the direct result of his industry and enterprise, and aside from being the owner of two hundred and fifty acres of valuable land he is also a stockholder in the Farmers' Cooperative Lumber Company of Lake Mills and a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Company of Joice. His investments have been most judiciously made and his business activities have been so intelligently directed that he has won for himself a place amount the men of affluence in Worth county.

Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, Vol. II, 1918, page 463.