FALDE, John 1847-1908

FALDE, FELDE, ENGEN, FRASLIE

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 1/6/2026 at 17:32:43

John Falde was born April 17, 1847, at Lands Prestegjeld, Norway. While only eight years of age he came to Rock Prairie, Wisconsin, with his parents, John and Martha Falde. Here they stayed but a short time, when they went to Allamakee county, Iowa, where they settled on a farm.

Having finished in the common school, he entered McGregor College, Iowa, December 9th, 1867. Later he graduated from Washington and Warners Commercial College at Madison, Wisconsin, December 12, 1869.

Soon after his graduation he ventured, together with some others, into the so-called wild west. After two weeks of hard driving, they reached Canton, South Dakota, June 16, 1871. Shortly after this he was married to Ingeborg Engen, also of Allamakee county.

At first he was employed as a clerk at Holsey's store, but was soon after elected register of deeds of Lincoln county and at the expiration of this term of office he became clerk of the same county, which office he held for a number of years. He was also postmaster there for many years.

In 1877 he was elected member of the state legislature. Three years later he moved with his family out on his farm in the same county, where he lived until 1903. He then went to Campbell county where he bought a farm consisting of 320 acres, about four miles south from Mound City. Here he carried on both farming and stock-raising.

Mr. Falde had been in poor health for a number of years, and his doctor advised him to go to Bismarck. He left for Bismarck December 2nd, and a week later he had a successful operation. But he was suddenly seized with heart failure, and died Sunday, December 15th, 1907.

He leaves a wife and eight children, most of whom are grown up; they are: Gaius, Hilda, Fridrike, Adolph, Carl, Livi, Thorine and Edwin. Two of his boys died from diphtheria while yet young and one daughter at the age of fourteen.

His sister, Mrs. Ingeborg Fraslie, is the only one living of the three brothers and three sisters. She is at present at Thief River Falls.

The funeral was held at the Norwegian Lutheran church at Tislo. The church could scarcely hold the throng of friends and relatives, who followed his remains to its resting place. Rev. Stensby preached the funeral sermon in Norwegian, while K.A. Rygh from Mound City spoke in English.

A large number of relatives and friends which he had gained through his quiet and noble life, express their heart-felt sympathy to the bereaved family - 'Herried Picayune'

~Dakota Farmers' Leader, Canton, S.D., February 21, 1908, page 5

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Note: His parents Johannes 'John' and Martha are buried in Old West Paint Creek cemetery. The surname on their gravestone is spelled FELDE.