ALFRED ORLANDO THOMPSON

Alfred Orlando Thompson, who follows farming on section 25, Hartland township, Worth county, is a representative of one of the well known pioneer families of the west. He was born in Munda township, Freeborn county, Minnesota, March 20, 1884, a son of Henry and Isabel (Johnson) Thompson. His parents were natives of Valders, Norway, and the father came to the new world with his parents in the early '50s, when he was a lad of five years, the voyage being made in one of the old-time sailing ships which was nine weeks upon the water ere anchor was dropped in the harbor of Quebec. They made their way westward by way of the Great Lakes to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and for a short time were residents of that state, but Iowa proved their ultimate destination. They located in Decorah, Iowa, where they remained for. a year, and then traveled across the country with ox teams to Silver Lake township, Worth county, where they purchased one hundred and twenty .acres of land. It was a wild tract, entirely destitute of buildings or improvements of any kind. A log cabin was built and the family began life in true pioneer style, sharing in all the hardships and privations incident to settlement on the frontier. After a time the grandfather sold the property in Worth county and removed to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, there purchasing a farm upon which he lived for a number of years. He afterward took up his abode in Munda township, Freeborn county, Minnesota, where the grandparents died at the home of their son, Henry Thompson.

The latter was a youth of seventeen years when he started out in the business world on his own account. He left Silver Lake township, Worth county, to make his way to the territory of Wyoming, traveling partly by rail and partly on foot. At length he reached Cheyenne, where he was employed as a cook in the government mess house for eleven months. He afterward returned to Silver Lake township and was married to Miss Velger Olson. He next removed to Rock county, Minnesota, where he took up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres of government land that as yet had not known the touch of the plow. Upon that place he built a sod house, which he occupied for two years. He then returned to Silver Lake township and his wife soon afterward became ill and passed away. Later Mr. Thompson wedded Isabel Johnson and bought a farm in Silver Lake township comprising ninety-one acres, upon which he lived for three years. He then traded that property with Ryer Johnson for his present farm of two hundred and forty acres in Munda township, Freeborn county, Minnesota, where he still makes his home. He has devoted practically his entire life to general agricultural pursuits and is still engaged in the cultivation and development of his farm. He has reached the age of sixty-seven years, while his wife is now sixty-four years of age. She is one of Iowa's native daughters, her birth having occurred in Hartland township, Worth county, on the farm now owned by Henry Mehus on section 15. Her place of birth was the little log cabin owned by her father, Sevre Johnson Hangrud, who was born in Norway, March 26, 1826. There he was married, after which he came to the United States in 1848 on one of the old-time sailing vessels which was sixteen weeks in making the voyage. By canal and the Great Lakes he proceeded westward to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and became one of the first permanent settlers in Hartland township. At that period McGregor was the nearest market and to that point the settlers hauled their grain on hand sleighs, while later they had ox teams for the purpose. The father of Mrs. Thompson is still living at the notable old age of ninety-three years but her mother passed away in 1911 at the age of seventy-three years.

No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for Alfred O. Thompson in the days of his boyhood and youth, which were spent upon the old homestead farm in Silver Lake township. He began his education in the public schools and afterward had the benefit of instruction in St. Olaf's College at Northfield, Minnesota. When his textbooks were put aside he returned to the home farm, upon which he remained until he reached the age of twenty-five years. In 1909 he purchased his present farm property from his father, thus acquiring possession of two hundred and forty acres of rich and valuable land, upon which he has since erected new buildings and today has one of the best equipped farm properties in this section of the state. He operates his place as a large stock farm and raises high grades of stock, winning substantial success by the capable manner in which he conducts his business interests.

In 1913 Mr. Thompson was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Mehus, a daughter of Hans and Gunvor (Tromo) Mehus, who are mentioned in connection with the sketch of Andrew H. Mehus on another page of this work. Mrs. Thompson was born in Hartland township, Worth county, where she has always resided. Both are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and Mr. Thompson exercises his right of franchise in support of the republican party. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America and he also has membership with the Sons of Norway. These, however, are but side interests in his life, the major part of his time and attention being concentrated upon stock raising and farming interests, which he is successfully conducting, winning a substantial measure of prosperity thereby.

SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Pages 642 & 644

Transcription by Gordon Felland, 11/20/2006