THEODORE J. SAGE AND FAMILY
Theodore J. Sage, actively engaged in general farming on section 21, Hartland Township, Worth county, having purchased his present property of one hundred and sixty acres in I913, is a representative of one of the pioneer families of this state, the name of Sage being closely associated with the record of agricultural development in Worth County for more than a half century. It was on the, 18th of April, 1869, in Hartland Township, that Theodore J. Sage was born, his parents being John and Barbara (Helgerson) Sage, who were natives of Norway. Corning to the United States in 1854, they landed at Quebec after a voyage of eight weeks in one of the old-time sailing vessels and from that point made their way westward to Dane county, Wisconsin, where they resided for six years. In I860 they came to Iowa, establishing their home in Hartland Township, Worth County, about a mile and a half west of the farm on which their son Theodore now resides. The father took up two hundred acres of land and subsequently added eighty acres to his original purchase. His first home was a log house and the family experienced all of the hardships and privations of pioneer life at a period when this section of the state was a frontier district. Heavy snows in winter brought almost entire isolation to the early settlers, whose homes were widely scattered, and in the summer months they were busily employed from early morning until late at night in the development of their fields. There were few idle hours but in the development of their farm, they laid broad and deep the foundation upon which the present progress and prosperity of the county have been built. For a number of years John Sage remained upon the farm which he originally purchased and later removed to Rice County, Minnesota, where he invested in fifty-two acres of land. To the further cultivation and improvement of that property he gave his attention throughout his remaining days, passing away January 19, 1909, at the age of eighty-two years. His wife survived him only until the 25th of March of the same year and had become an octogenarian at the time of her demise, her birth having occurred on the 20th of May, 1829.
Theodore J. Sage spent the period of his youth upon the home farm in Hartland Township and a nearby school, pursued his education, mastering, his studies during the winter terms, while in the summer months he aided in the farm work. He afterward took up the carpenter's trade, which he followed in Stutsman County, North Dakota, for three years, but ultimately returned to agricultural life, purchasing the farm from his father at Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota. He thus acquired possession of fifty-two acres of land, upon which he lived for eight years. In 1913, however, he returned to Worth County and took up his abode upon his present place, which comprises one hundred and sixty acres on section 21, Hartland Township. He bought the property and has since made it his home, his labor contributing much to its further development and improvement. He raises the cereals best adapted to soil and climate and his progressive methods result in the production of large crops. He also follows the carpenter’s trade to some extent.
In 1910 Mr. Sage was united in marriage to Miss Emma Tenold, a daughter of Andre and Emily (Lee) Tenold, who are mentioned in connection with the sketch of O. A. Tenold on another page of this work. To Mr. and Mrs. Sage have been born three children, Erma Blanch, Evelyn Theodora and Alvin Russel. Not a little credit is due to Mrs. Sage who taught twenty-eight terms of school in Worth County. She is a woman of high ideals and rare tact. Mr. Sage votes with re Republican Party. He has never been an officer seeker, preferring to concentrate his attention upon his private business interests. He belongs to the Norwegian Lutheran church, of which his wife is also a devoted member. The have been lifelong residents of this section of the west and
Mr. Sage has won recognition as an industrious and progressive business man and loyal citizen, standing at all times for those interests and activities which are of the greatest worth to the individual and the community at large
Transcribed by Gordon Felland - July 15, 2005 (picture added 11/23/06)
