ship which has since been his home, comprising one hundred and sixty acres. He bought four hundred and eighty acres of land in Cavalier county, South Dakota, but sold two quarter sections, retaining one hundred and sixty acres.
On November 6, 1875, Mr. Severson was united in marriage to Miss Lena Stenberg, a daughter of Hans Stenberg, who came to Iowa from Norway some time in the '6os. To Mr. and Mrs. Severson the following nine children have been born: Joseph, who is a farmer living at home; Henry, also a farmer located in Cloverly, Canada; George J. M. D., a practicing physician in Blairsburg, Iowa, and a graduate of Drake University; Osmond, a farmer in Saskatchewan; Severt B., at home; Albert C., who lives in Saskatchewan; Levi J., at home; Carrie B. and Milford C., both at home. The three sons who are in Canada own a section of land each, besides which the three elder boys possess farms in North Dakota.
Politically Mr. Severson is a republican with strong inclinations toward the prohibition party, as he is a firm believer in total abstinence. He is public-spirited, takes an active interest in the affairs of his township and has served as president of the school board for several years. In religion he and his family are members of the Lutheran church.
ROTHEUS HAYWARD MITCHELL.
Among the honored citizens of Story county who have passed to their reward and whose history is well worthy of a place in a permanent record the name of Rotheus H. Mitchell deserves a prominent position. For many years county surveyor and also filling other important public offices, he was a man whose influence was clearly in behalf of the best interests of the county and state, and the beneficial effects of his life are still felt in the region where he lived and worked for more than a third of a century.
He was born in Lyme, Grafton county, New Hampshire, January 4, 1823, a son of Horatio G. and Mary (Ames) Mitchell. The father was born at Bridgewater, Massachusetts, December 17, 1787, and the mother at Groton, New Hampshire, October 6, 1794. They were married at Lyme, December 11, 1817, Mr. Mitchell having moved to that place with his father about 1791. They lived in New Hampshire until 1836, then taking up their residence at Parishville, St. Lawrence county, New York, where the father died on the 3d of April, 1867, the mother passing away on the l0th of May following.
Rotheus Mitchell, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, in 1755 and was married there in 1783 to Hephzibah Hayward. They moved to New Hampshire about 1791, where he died October 28, 1816, his wife departing this life June 9, 1848. He served in the continental army, enlisting on the 19th of April, 1775, and rose to the