Gilbert G. Gilbertson was one of St. Ansgar's oldest settlers. He came to St. Ansgar from Wisconsin a year after the founding of the town by the Clausen colony and settled on his farm southeast of St. Ansgar, Iowa.

Gilbert was born in Rock Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin on January 6, 1847. In the spring of 1852, his father accompanied the Rev. Mr. Clausen and Hans Gallager to locate land near the present site of St. Ansgar; but it was not until the following year that the family moved here.

On October 12, 1870, he married Annie Christine Ask -- who died on January 18, 1924. To this union were born five children: G. Lawrence, of Austin, Minnesota; A. Oscar, of St. Ansgar; Mrs. Tillie Golberg of Enderlin, North Dakota; Josephine A. of St. Ansgar; and Mrs. Olga Krouse, of Winter Park, Florida.

It was at St. Ansgar that the "Father of the Onion Industry" as he would later be known, started the development of the red and yellow globe onion bulbs that became sought after by the leading national seed growers, including the Vaughn Seed Co., of Chicago. The quality of the onion called "Grandpa's Pride" was so outstanding that it attracted the attention of J. C. Vaughn of Chicago, who made a special trip to the Gilbertson farm to investigate the merits of the bulbs, as the globe onion was unknown at that time. The result was that Mr. Gilbertson sold the entire crop of bulbs to Mr. Vaughn for seed stock.

To improve the strain of the onion seed from year to year -- by the most careful selection and restriction -- was considered by Mr. Gilbertson as his life's work; and that this objective was reached is shown by the remarkable progress the industry had made around St. Ansgar.

To facilitate the work of raising onions, Mr. Gilbertson invented the first "perfect onion planter" -- one that actually picks up one seed at a time and deposits them the required distance apart.

After Mr. Gilbertson shipped the first carload of onions out of St. Ansgar, the industry grew rapidly, until St. Ansgar has become known as the "onion center of the Middle West.""

While Mr. Gilbertson interests in the raising of onions, potatoes and cabbage were well known, it should be mentioned that he also started the ginseng industry which has grew to such proportions that St. Ansgar was known as the town having the largest ginseng arbors in the country.

Mr. Gilbertson's work as a nurseryman started back in the early days on the farm when he raised fruit trees, small fruits and evergreen trees. This business developed to such a degree that he started a nursery in the east part of St. Ansgar in about 1895 -- specializing in evergreens for windbreak purposes. The demand for evergreens was such that it became necessary to start a nursery in Mason City, Iowa.

Except for his early childhood years, and brief periods spent elsewhere, Mr. Gilbertson lived his entire life within the larger St. Ansgar community, identified with its interests and giving his best to it. Mr. Gilbertson had been identified with St. Ansgar's leading interests for 78 years.

Gilbert died at his home in St. Ansgar, Iowa on Sunday morning, August 2, 1931 at the ripe old age of 84 years. He had been living at the home of his daughter Josephine the last several years. At the time of his death he had been in failing health for some two years.

At the time of his death, Mr. Gilbertson had nine grandchildren, namely: Alton, DeLores, Cozette, Gladiolus, Garry and Mary Lou Gilbertson, of St. Ansgar; George, Ruth and Enid Betty Krouse, of Winter Park, Florida. He also had three great-grandchildren: Milton, Jack and Jeanine Gilbertson.

Mr. Gilbertson was not only one of the pioneer residents but he was also one of the outstanding builders of the community, leaving his mark profoundly upon the fundamental structure of the community, in many ways. He was a pioneer in endeavor as well as physically, a man who worked with vision and industry. He loved his old time friends and neighbors and was held in high regard by them. He loved to greet them with a cheery word and a smile of encouragement and good will. He will be missed, not only by the dear ones of the family, but by the entire community for which he did so much.