HENRY MARTIN KITTELSON
Henry M. Kittelson Thea Kittelson Henry Martin Kittelson, a resident farmer of Fertile township, Worth county, his home being on section 2, was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, on the 17th of September, 1870, his parents being Ole and Torbjor (Burgeson) Kittelson. He spent his boyhood days in his native county and acquired a public school education there. He early became familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops, and after his textbooks were put aside he concentrated his efforts and attention upon farm work in Dane county until 1889, when he removed to Fertile township, Worth county, Iowa, with his parents, being then a youth of nineteen years. His father purchased a farm in Fertile township and Henry M. Kittelson continued to assist in the cultivation of the land until 1896, when he started out in the business world independently. For two years he engaged in farming on his own account on rented land, and in 1898 he purchased his present farm property, comprising one hundred and twenty acres, to which he has since added until he now owns a tract of one hundred and sixty acres. The buildings upon the place stand as monuments to his thrift, enterprise and progressive spirit, for all of the buildings have been erected by him and are of modern type and construction. In fact, the farm is splendidly improved and the fields are returning to him golden harvests as a reward for his care and labor.
Henry Kittelson's Family On March 5, 1896, Mr. Kittelson was united in marriage to Miss Thea Bilstead, a native of Houston county, Minnesota, and a daughter of Edwin and Mary (Kleven) Bilstead, who removed with their family from Minnesota to Fertile township, Worth county, during the infancy of their daughter. They settled on the farm which is now the home of Mr. Kittelson, and later removed to Bristol township, Worth county, where Mr. Bilstead is still carrying on general agricultural pursuits, being the owner of an excellent tract of land of two hundred acres. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Kittelson was celebrated at the family home in Bristol township and was blessed with six children, but two died in infancy. Those still living are: Beulah, Edgar, Mildred and Orin. The wife and mother died November 4, 1914, and was buried in Concordia cemetery, Bristol township.
The religious faith of the family is that of the Norwegian Lutheran church, and in political belief Mr. Kittelson is a republican, supporting the men and measures of the party, but without desire for office. His interest has been concentrated upon his farm and his activity has found tangible expression in the acquirement and improvement of his lands, constituting now one of the valuable farming properties of Fertile township
SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Pages 516 to 519
Transcribed by Gordon Felland, August 13, 2006