Rev. Hans Fosnes
Rev. Hans Fosnes Rev. Hans Fosnes, pastor of the Norwegian Lutheran church at Northwood and a most active and helpful factor in promoting the moral progress and advancement of the community in which he lives, was born August 9, 1865, in Trondhjem, Norway, his parents being Ole Hanson and Torine Erickson. The father was born at Gubransdalen, Norway, while the mother's birth occurred in Trondhjem. At the latter place they were married and the father engaged in farming in Norway throughout his entire life, neither he nor his wife ever coming to the United States.
Rev. Fosnes, whose name introduces this record, spent his youthful days in Norway, where he acquired his early education, and in 1884, at the age of eighteen years, he came to the United States, establishing his home near Stoughton, in Dane county, Wisconsin. There he worked as a farm hand for three years, after which he spent some time with his cousin, Rev. Saevig, at Wiota, Wisconsin. At a subsequent period he became a student in St. Olaf's College of Divinity at Northfield, Minnesota, where he pursued his studies for a year. The succeeding six years were devoted to the college course and he was graduated with the class of 1893. He later attended the United Church Seminary at Minneapolis for three years and was graduated in 1896, at which time he was ordained to the ministry. He later became pastor for the Norwegian Lutheran church at Hudson, New Richmond, Star Prairie and Glenwood, Wisconsin, serving the four churches for four years. On the expiration of that period he received a call from the church at Ishpeming, Michigan, and later presided over the churches at Fertile, Mason City and Clear Lake, Iowa. He next took charge of the churches at Winnebago and Beaver Creek and his next field of labor was at Brookings, South Dakota, while on the 6th of June, 1915, he came to Northwood, Iowa, where he has since been pastor of the Norwegian Lutheran church and has built up a membership of eight hundred. His work has been most satisfactory. He is an earnest and eloquent speaker, a splendid organizer and as pastor has done excellent work. He has the confidence and high regard of people of all denominations and his influence has been widely felt.
On the I5th of July, 1896, Rev. Fosnes was married to Miss Martha Holeman, a daughter of John and Helen (Burke) Holeman and a native of Wiota township, Lafayette county, Wisconsin, where her parents are now residing, her father being there engaged in the operation of large tracts of land.
In his political views Rev. Fosnes is a republican and is a stalwart champion of whatever he believes to be right. Standing loyally for the interests of his adopted land, he is now an ardent worker for the Red Cross, has been most active in the sale of liberty bonds throughout his district, making speeches at various places in behalf of the drive, and he is now chairman, as well, of the Young Men's Christian Association and is a member of the foreign mission board, so that his work in behalf of his church and in behalf of his government goes hand in hand, both being followed with excellent results.
SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Pages 292-295
Transcribed by Gordon Felland, July 14, 2006