Nels O. Stockseth

STOCKSETH, SNODRUDE, NELSON

Posted By: Marla Gray (email)
Date: 8/31/2012 at 15:53:32

Nels O. Stockseth

Men of the Scandinavian countries have played an important part in the history of America and in the more commonplace walks of life amoung its citizenship. Courageous, industrious and resourceful, hardy and thorough, with a determination to succeed regardless of misfortune or obstacle, they have won a place in the heart of this nation. A worthy example of such life is Nels O. Stockseth, the subject of this sketch, who is a native of Norway, born near Christiania, February 2, 1856.

Mr. Stockseth is the son of Ole and Mary (Snodrude) Stockseth, who lived on a farm in Norway until the year 1864, when with a party including Ole Thompson, they immigrated to America. After eight weeks on the Atlantic ocean, during which time the ship was repeatedly threatened with destruction as a result of storms, the family landed in New York, after which they went to Trempealeau county, Wisconsin, where they lived for two years. The family then went to Watonwan County, Minnesota, where, during seven years, they suffered the loss of five crops from the locust pest, resulting in their determination to move again, this time to Winnebago county, Iowa, where they lived until the year 1881, leaving at that time for Wright County, where they lived until their death.

In Wright county Nels O. Stockseth bought, in Belmond township, one hundred and sixty acres of land, for five dollars per acre, and one year and a half later disposed of this land, buying one hundred and sixty acres nearby for the sum of seven dollars per acre. It was prairie land and Mr. Stockseth proceeded to improve his purchase, broke up the sod and did such things as were necessary to make his land productive. He continued to buy land each year until he owned in all between five and seven hundred acres of land in Wright county. This land was broken up by him, and he lived on his farm until 1907, when he brought property and moved to Belmond, where he lived four years, then returning to the farm for two years, after which he went back to his home in Belmond, at which place he now lives.

When he emigrated to America, Nels O. Stockseth was but nine years of age. Living at home until he was twenty-three years of age, at that time he determined to make his own way in the world, and, leaving the parental roof with but twenty-five cents in his pocket, he came to Wright county. With one hundred and twenty-five dollars due as a first payment on one hundred and sixty acres of land which he had bargained for, a sum which he could not raise, he found it necessary to give his note for the amount. Then, buying a team of horses, a wagon and a plow, for which he also gave his note in payment, he proceeded to break and to improve his soil. A short time following he lost one of his horses and he was incapacitated as a result of being struck by lightning. Though burdened, with a large doctor’s bill, he was able, as a result of his industrious ways, to meet his obligations. He then bought another horse, and with his team was able to earn five hundred and forty five dollars the first summer, working every day, including the Fourth of July, on which day he recalls having made seven dollars. During the autumn of this year he sold his first farm of one hundred and sixty acres for twelve hundred dollars and a year later bought one hundred and sixty acres.

On June 29, 1884, Nels O. Stockseth was married, in Wright County, to Pauline Nelson, who was born on February 2, 1863, in Norway, not far from the birthplace of Mr. Stockseth. She is a daughter of Henry and Carrie (Paulsen) Nelsen, the father being a farmer who came to the United Sates in 1867, locating at Oconomowoe, Wisconsin, where they lived for two and one-half years, after which they moved to Clear Lake, Iowa, living there for two and one-half years. In 1872 the family came to Belmond, where the father was a contractor interested in the construction of a railway which was projected, but which was never finished, resulting in the loss of all to the elder Nelson. He then started again as a farmer, investing later in land, where he lived until 1895, selling out at that time to Ole Stockseth. Mr. Nelson then moved to Ruthton, Minnesota, where he now lives.

No children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Stockseth, but they adopted two children, one being the child of a sister to Mrs. Stockseth, the mother having died when the child was but three years of age. This child is Lottie Lee. The other child is Sophia Killmore.

Nels O. Stockseth has taken no small part in the affairs of Wright County and Belmond township. He has held several elective offices in the township, has been prominent in the Republican party and is well known in business circles, being a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company, of Olaf. He is recognized as a man of good judgment and practical business methods whose efforts have done much for the general good of the community. Mr. and Mrs. Stockseth are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church, in which congregation they have been workers for many years.

Source: History of Wright County Iowa 1915 B.F. Bowen & Company, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana. Pages 741-173