HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, VOL. II, 1918, page 357

Olavus H. Hove, who follows farming on section 35, Hartland township, Worth county, has resided within the borders of that county since the spring of 1860, or for a period of fifty-eight years. He has been variously identified at different times with commercial and with agricultural interests and is now concentrating his time and attention upon the further development and improvement of his fine farm of one hundred and thirty-two acres.

He was born in Dane county, Wisconsin , April 17, 1859 , a son of Herman and Olina (Eileson) Hove . The father, a native of Norway , was born July 11, 1829 , and came to America in 1853, when a young man of twenty-four years, landing at New York . He made his way westward to Chicago and from that city to Dane county, Wisconsin, where he resided until the spring of 1860. He then came with his family to Iowa , establishing his home on section 35, Hart­land township, Worth county, where he secured one hundred and sixty acres of land. He cast in his lot with the pioneer residents of this section of the state, where the work of progress and improvement had scarcely been begun. He made the trip westward from Wisconsin with ox teams and on reaching his destination invested in one hundred and sixty acres of land which was entirely destitute of buildings and other improvements. He at once erected a log cabin and other buildings upon his place and with characteristic energy began the development and improvement of his farm. It was an arduous task to break the sod and prepare the land for cultivation, but in time the furrows were turned and the seed planted, while later good harvests were gathered as the reward of his labors. In early days McGregor was the nearest market and it required three weeks to make the round trip. Mr. Hove concentrated his energies largely upon stock raising and his business affairs were wisely and carefully directed, bringing him a substantial measure of success as the years passed on. He was married in 1857 to Olina Eileson, who was born in Norway in 1830 and came to the United States with her parents. She became the wife of Mr. Hove in Dane county, Wisconsin . They were members of the Norwegian Lutheran church, in the faith of which they reared their family. Mr. Hove gave his political endorsement to the republican party and at all times stood for progressive citizenship, cooperating in every plan and movement for the benefit and upbuild­ing of the district and state in which he lived. He passed away upon the home farm in 1906, at the age of seventy-six years, while his wife died in 1895 it the age of sixty-six years.

Olavus H. Hove, as previously stated, was only about a year old when brought by his parents to Iowa, and his boyhood days were spent upon the home farm with the usual experiences of the farm-bred boy who works in the fields through the summer months and attends the district school in the winter seasons, with here and there a brief period for play and recreation. In 1893 he removed to Brookfield township, Worth county, where he had previously purchased a farm. This he continued to develop and improve for about eight years, or until 1901, when he became a resident of Northwood, where he was manager of the Page Lumber Company for three years. On the expiration of that period the name was changed to the Northwood Manufacturing Company and Mr. Hove remained as manager for two years more. In the spring of 1906 he located upon his present farm, where he now resides, and he today has one hundred and thirty­-two acres of fine farm land, which he successfully cultivates, annually gathering good crops as a reward for the care and labor which he bestows upon his fields. His farm is well improved and presents a neat and thrifty appearance, indicating the careful supervision of a practical and progressive owner.

On June 12, 1893 , Mr. Hove was united in marriage to Miss Ingborg Halberson, a daughter of Andrew and Ingborg Halberson, who were natives of Nor­way , whence they brought their family to the United States in 1873, settling in Hartland township, where the father purchased a farm. The mother died upon that farm, but the father is still living and now makes his home with Mr. and Mrs. Hove. The latter was also born in Norway and was a young girl when she accompanied her parents to the United States . By her marriage she has become the mother of six children: Ida, Amanda, Helmer, Amy, Oliver and Ruth.

Mr. Hove gives his political endorsement to the republican party and has held several local offices, acting as road supervisor, as assessor and as school clerk, while at the present time he is township clerk. He has always been loyal in the discharge of his public duties and stands for advancement and improvement in all things relating to the public welfare. His time and attention, however, are mostly given to general farming and his industry and perseverance in business affairs have been the salient features in bringing to him the gratifying success which he has achieved. He is a representative of one of the pioneer families of this section of the state and has lived to witness many changes during the fifty-eight years of his residence in Iowa . At the time of his arrival it was no unusual thing to see Indians in this section, and the most farsighted could scarcely have dreamed of the advancement which was soon to be made, but the labors and efforts of the pioneer settlers wrought good results and the foundation which they laid has led to the upbuilding of the present superstructure of progress and prosperity that is so notable throughout Worth county

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Transcribed by Gordon Felland - July 4, 2005