Johanes Kittleson was born in Kongsberg, Buskerud county, Norway, on June 18, 1830. His father was Kittil Johannesen Fjosemoen, and his mother was Kari Knudsdatter. He was baptized into the Lutheran chruch at Svene, near Flesberg, Buskerud, Norway, on July 2, 1830. According to the Flesberg Parish Register, for the Svene church, his name was "Johanes Kittilsen Fjosemoen." He was confirmed on June 21, 1846.
John F. Kittleson, as he was commonly known, came to America in 1853; first settling in Dane county, Wisconsin, near Christiana, and attending church at Koshkonong. In 1863, he came by ox-team to Mitchell county,
Iowa, and bought a farm about 1 1/2 miles south of St. Ansgar, on the banks of the Red Cedar River. John had filed for U.S. citizenship in Dane county, Wisconsin, on April 3, 1856; and became a citizen on November 1, 1864, in Osage, Iowa.
He married Betsy Holtan on March 30, 1862, at Utica, Wisconsin. Betsy was the daughter of Gullik Halvorson Holtan and Anna Ledvorsdatter. Betsy was born in Flesberg, Norway, March 20, 1836, just a few miles from where John was born. She and her family immigrated to the United States in 1846, coming on the ship "Tricolor," and settled in Dane County, Wisconsin. They were the parents of four children: Charles E., Martin G., Carrie Louise, and Andrew L. Kittleson. Andrew died at one year of age. Charles married Amelia Johnson, and Carrie married Carl Otto Kittilsen.
John had built a log cabin on the knoll above the river. A two story addition was added to the log cabin in the early 1900's. In the first year, before a well was dug on the farm, Betsy would carry the laundry down the slope to the Cedar River and rub them on a large rock to get the clothes clean; then carry them back up the slope to dry.
They were members of the Norwewgian Lutheran Church. In politics John was a Republican, and had held local offices.
John Kittleson died on May 24, 1898, at his residence south of St. Ansgar. He was buried in the First Lutheran church cemetery on May 26th. His age being 67 years 11 months and 6 days. According to the obituary in the St. Ansgar Enterprise:
The ringing of the Norwegian Church bell Tuesday evening mournfully announced to the people of St. Ansgar and vicinity that another of the early settlers and universally respected citizens of St. Ansgar township, Mr. John Kittleson, had passed to the great beyond. This was startling news to many who had not even heard of his brief illness. John Kittleson suffered from poor health the last nine years of his life. During haying of 1889 he met with a serious accident when a team and mower ran over him and broke several ribs and otherwise severely injuring him. Since that time he was never entirely well. The official cause of death was kidney disease.
Betsy was also known by several names including Berith, Berit, Beret, and Bessie. She died on November 14, 1926, in Yakima, Washington, while staying with her daughter Louise. She was buried beside her husband in St. Ansgar.
The farm is still in the family, being farmed by John's great-grandsons, Charles and John Kittleson, having been in the family for over 140 years.