served as postmaster of the town under appointment of President McKinley and President Roosevelt, filling the office for nine years, or until the 13th of January, 1907. He is well known in Masonic circles as a member of the lodge and chapter at Ames, belongs also to Ames Lodge, No. 150, K. P., and to Boone Lodge, No. 563, B. P. O. E. A social, genial nature renders him popular, and it is well known that he is an ardent advocate of progress and improvement in public affairs, stanchly and aggressively advocating measures which he deems factors of general growth and development.
MICHEL HEGLAND.
The student of history cannot carry his investigations far into the records of Story county without learning that the Hegland family has been prominently connected with the work of upbuilding and improvement here. For fifty-four years Michel Hegland of this review has resided where he now makes his home and he has witnessed the growth and development of the entire countryside and at all times has borne his part in the work of general improvement.
His birth occurred near Bergen, Norway, on the 13th of January, 1845, and he was therefore a lad of but twelve years when in 1857 he came to the United States with his parents, Ole and Betsy (Tungsvig) Hegland. The father was born in Norway in November, 1802, and the mother on the 5th of May, 1805. In early life he learned the shoemaker's trade and followed it in his native country, but throughout the period of his residence in America his time and energies were devoted to agricultural pursuits. Two older brothers of Michel Hegland were the first of the family to come to the new world, having crossed the Atlantic in 1854, at which time they took up their abode in Illinois. Later they became familiar with conditions in Story county, Iowa, made their way to this district, secured the lumber and built a good frame house, which the family occupied on their arrival. It was in 1857 that the parents and the other children of the household made the long voyage across the briny deep and then overland to Iowa. The first settlers had come here only the summer before and the country was very new. Iowa City was the nearest town. They had no market and in fact they had nothing to sell and practically nothing with which to buy. The frame house which the two sons had erected was one of the best houses in the county at that time. In fact it was the largest building in Howard township in pioneer times and the only frame structure for a number of years. It was therefore used for church purposes, Mr. and Mrs. Hegland opening their home to the Lutheran congregation, which was soon organized among the early settlers. No improvements had been made upon the land when the family took possession but with