HANS O. ROSLIEN

Hans O. Roslien, an energetic, enterprising and highly respected farmer of Worth county, living on section 6, Lincoln township, was born in Gudbrandsdal, Norway, on the 13th of February, 1858, a son of Ole and Anna Roslien. The parents were natives of Norway and never came to the United States, the father devoting his entire life to blacksmithing and farming in the land of the midnight sun.

Hans O. Roslien spent his boyhood days in Norway and acquired his education there. He came to the United States in 1880, when a young man of twenty-two years, for the favorable reports which he had heard concerning the opportunities of this country led him to the belief that he might more rapidly win business advancement on this side of the Atlantic. He made his way to Spring Grove, Minnesota, where he was employed as a farm hand, spending six years in that locality. He then removed to Valley City, North Dakota, where he continued for a short time but later returned to Spring Grove, where he remained for two years more. On the expiration of that period he made his way to a point southwest of Northwood, Iowa, and was there employed on a farm for a time. He next worked in Brookfield township, Worth county, and later he and his brother Simon purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Danville township, which they carefully tilled and developed for four years. At the end of that time Hans O. Roslien sold his interest in the property to his brother and began following the carpenter's trade, devoting fifteen years to building operations in different localities. In 1907 he purchased his present farm, comprising one hundred and seventeen and a half acres of good land which he has since further developed, carefully cultivating the fields in the production of those crops best adapted to soil and climate. He has added many modern improvements to his place and is now successfully carrying on general farming.

In 1907 Mr. Roslien was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Mastrud, a daughter of Hans and Olia Mastrud, who were natives of Norway and on coming to the new world settled near Decorah, in Winneshiek county, Iowa, whence they afterward removed to Brookfield township, Worth county, later purchasing the farm which is now the home of Mr. Roslien and also eighty acres of land to the west. Mr. Mastrud continued to engage in farming throughout his remaining days and both he and his wife died at the home of their daughter, Mrs. Roslien, who is a native of Allamakee county, Iowa. By her marriage she has become the mother of one child, Hartwick Orrin.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Roslien hold membership in the Norwegian Lutheran church and loyally adhere to its teachings while giving to it generous support. His political allegiance is given to the republican party but he has never sought or desired office, preferring to concentrate his efforts and attention upon his farming interests, which have been carefully directed and have brought to him a substantial measure of success, making him one of the men of affluence in Lincoln township.

SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Pages 589 & 590

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, October 27, 2006