Buena Vista County, IA
USGenWeb Project

Throughout his entire life Julius Torkelson has been identified with farming interests in Buena Vista county.  He was born in Lee township on the 17th of January, 1877, and is a son of Torkel and Enger T. (Smith) Torkelson, the former a farmer by occupation. Spending his boyhood days under the parental roof, he attended the schools of the county in the acquirement of an education and through the periods of vacation worked in the fields.  As the years have gone by he has continued his labors on the home farm and eventually succeeded his father in the ownership of the place, which is now his property.  Here he has a good tract of land, well improved and under a high state of cultivation.  Everything about the farm indicates his careful supervision and progressive methods and he is well known as an energetic, progressive young man of good business ability in his chosen life work.

On the 28th of May, 1901, in the Little Sioux Lutheran church of Buena Vista county, Mr. Torkelson was united in marriage to Miss Martha Sigurdson and unto them have been born five children:  Effie Irene, born April 8, 1902; Aledia Beatrice, who was born March 13, 1903, and died on the 31st of October of the same .year; Christopher Theodore, born April 21, 1904; Omer Julius, June 29, 1905; and June Thor, born on the 8th of June. 1906.  Mrs. Torkelson was born in Leland, Illinois, January 4, 1876, and was only a year old when brought to Buena Vista county by her parents, Thore and Ingrid Resvold (Olson) Sigurdson, with whom she remained until her marriage.  Her father also followed the occupation of farming.

Mr. and Mrs. Torkelson are members of the Lutheran Evangelical church and are widely and favorably known in the community.  Mr. Torkelson has here spent his entire life and the many good traits of character which he has displayed have won him friendly regard.