HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, VOL. II, 1918, pages 335-337.

Various business enterprises have at different times profited by the coopera­tion and been promoted through the enterprise of Axel Conrad Lundberg, who is now a retired farmer but is a well known figure in commercial circles, being president of the Northwood Lumber Company of Northwood, Worth county. He is numbered among the representatives of the Scandinavian people who have found homes in this section of the country and have contributed in marked measure to its development and progress.

He was born at Westeland, Sweden, June 11, 1856, his parents being Adam B. and Sophia (Strandstrom) Lundberg, who were also natives of the same place. There they were reared and married and the father followed the tanner's trade, giving his attention to that business until 1869, when he emigrated to the United States with his family. They took passage on a sailing vessel with New York as their destination and after reaching the American port they proceeded west­ward, traveling around the Great Lakes to Milwaukee and thence across the country to Austin, Minnesota, where they remained for a brief period. Adam B. Lundberg then walked from Austin to Northwood, Iowa, where he entered the employ of Mr. Stromsteim, who was proprietor of a tannery and with whom he remained for a number of years. He also engaged in farming for a time and was afterward connected with the Central Railroad of Iowa when it was built through this part of the country. During the process of its building be worked on the road as section foreman and remained in that employ until his death, which occurred in 1895. His widow still survives and has now reached the advanced age of eighty-seven years. Both were members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

Axel C. Lundberg began his education in the schools of Sweden, where his early boyhood was passed, and later he resumed his studies after the establishment of the family home at Northwood. He subsequently devoted four years to farming in Grove township and afterward was employed as a section hand on the rail­road for two years. He then entered the employ of Lemuel Dwelle, for whom he worked for two years and on the expiration of that period became connected with the drayage business of Mr. Percival. He afterward bought out the business, which he conducted on his own account for four years, and later he sold out and bought a farm in Grove township, becoming owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land. To this he added from time to time as his financial resources permitted until he became the owner of two hundred and eighty acres in all. Upon this place he continued farming for thirty years and he converted the tract into rich and productive fields from which he annually gathered good harvests. His farm work was carried on along most progressive lines and he utilized the latest in improved machinery to facilitate the work of the fields. In 1912, however, he put aside agricultural interests and removed to Northwood, where he purchased a home that is thoroughly modern and attractive. He is now retired from farming but still owns valuable land. He is identified with the business interests of the city as president of the Northwood Manufacturing Company and he is also presi­dent of the Farmers' Butter and Cheese Association, in which capacity he has served for the past nineteen years.

On the 25th of April, 1879, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Lundberg and Miss Detta McPherson, a daughter of Abraham and Malinda (Starr) McPherson, Mrs. Lundberg was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, near Madison, while her father was a native of Ontario, Canada, and her mother of Aurora, Illinois. Mr. McPherson was born near Niagara Falls and he followed farming in Canada in early life but afterward removed to Illinois, settling at Aurora. For a time he engaged in farming in that locality and was there married. He afterward re­turned to Canada, where he again engaged in farm work through the summer seasons, while the winter months were spent in getting out shingles by hand. His father-in-law, Edward Starr, who had taken up a claim of government land in Dane county, Wisconsin, wrote for Mr. and Mrs. McPherson, his son-in-law and daughter, to join him in Wisconsin. This they did and all farmed together until the grandparents of Mrs. Lundberg passed away. Some time later her parents removed to Freeborn, Minnesota, where they resided for a year and then became residents of Grove township, Worth county, where Mr. McPherson pur­chased a, farm, upon which his remaining days were passed. His life was a busy and useful one and he was a progressive Agriculturist in every community in which he lived. He died at the age of sixty-nine years, having for some time survived his wife, who died at the age of fifty-six. Mr. and Mrs. Lundberg became the parents of eleven children : Leslie, who passed away at the age of five years; Addie, who is the wife of Henry T. Gabriel, of Grove township, Worth county; Clifford; George and Roy, both of whom reside in Northwood, Iowa; Luella who gave her hand in marriage to Emil Lowe, of Northwood, Iowa; Mrs. Grace Cornick; Dow; Arlie and Ernest, twins, who died at the age of eight months; and Pearl. The religious faith of the family is that of the Baptist church and Mr. Lund­berg is also a member of the Masonic fraternity. He votes with the democratic party and keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day but he does not seek nor desire office, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs, which are carefully and wisely conducted and which have brought to him a gratifying measure of success.

Transcribed by Gordon Felland - October, 2005