HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, VOL. II, 1918, pages 368-373.

Among the representative farmers of Danville township, Worth county, is numbered Lars 0. Roslien, who is living on section 12. He was born in Nor­way, May 19, 1844, and is a son of Ole and Anna (Sigstad) Roslien, who spent their entire lives in the land of the midnight sun. Lars 0. Roslien acquired a very limited education in the common schools of his native country, for he was early forced to start out in the business world and provide for his own support. His life has been one of untiring industry and thrift and whatever success he, has achieved is the direct result of his labors.

On the 8th of December, 1869, Mr. Roslien was united in marriage to Miss Agneta Myten and six months later, on the 23d of June, they set sail for the United States, arriving on the Atlantic coast after a very rough voyage of ten weeks. They disembarked at Quebec and from there made their way direct to this country, becoming residents of Houston county, Minnesota, where Mr. Ros­lien engaged in farming until the spring of 1891. He then came to Worth county, Iowa, settling in Danville township, and for a year he rented a portion of his present home farm. During the second year he rented still more of this land and during the third year he farmed the entire tract of three hundred and twenty acres. In 1894 he purchased the farm, to which he has since added many sub­stantial improvements. He has an attractive and comfortable residence and substantial barns for the shelter of grain and stock. He utilizes the latest improved machinery in facilitating the work of the fields and neat and thrifty appear­ance of the place indicates his careful supervision and progressive methods. He has worked diligently and persistently as the years have gone on, add his labors have brought very substantial returns. He is also a stockholder in the Farmers' Cooperative Elevator Company of Manly.

To Mr. and Mrs. Roslien have been born eleven children, seven of whom sur­vive, as follows: Bertha, at home; Ole, who follows farming in Danville town­ship, Worth county; Nels L., who operates the home place; Louise, who gave her hand in marriage to Hans Holt and resides in North Dakota; Otilda, the wife of Carlo Sparby, of Danville township, Worth county; and Clara and Minnie, both at home.

Mr. Roslien and his family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and guide their lives according to its teachings. His political endorsement has been given to the republican party since he has become a naturalized American citizen. His entire life since coming to the new world has been devoted to gen­eral agricultural pursuits and an analyzation of his record shows that his success has come as the direct result of persistent labor and unfaltering energy intelligently guided. He has closely studied the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops and as the years have passed oil his labors have been crowned with a very gratifying and substantial measure of success.

Transcribed by Gordon Felland - October, 2005