Erik & Halvor Egertson

EGERTSON, NESTERGARD, GUNDERSON, NELSON, MYHRE

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 2/13/2011 at 20:12:29

Halvor Egertson, a well known and representative farmer of Twelve Mile Lake township, Emmet county, resides on section 2. He was born in Norway, November 26, 1851, a son of Egert and Gro Erikson, who always remained residents of Norway, never coming to the new world. The father was both a farmer and a mason. In the family were seven children, six sons and a daughter.

Halvor Egertson attended district schools in his native county and in 1881, when in is thirtieth year, crossed the Atlantic to the Untied States, making his way at once to Iowa. Taking up his abode in Emmet county, he worked on a farm until 1888 and during that period carefully saved his earnings until his industry and economy had brought him enough capital to enable him to purchase land. He then became owner of the south half of the northeast quarter of section 2, Twelve Mile Lake township, and afterward purchased forty acres adjoining his farm on the south, thus making it a tract of one hundred and twenty acres which he has since carefully and successfully conducted. He now has a well improved farm property and the practical and progressive methods which he follows in cultivating his fields result in winning substantial harvests.

In 1876 Mr. Egertson was united in marriage to Miss Christie Nestergard, a daughter of Lars and Bertha Nestergard, also natives of Norway. To Mr. and Mrs. Egertson were born seven children: Erik; Louis and Gundy, both at home; Stephen, deceased; Belle, at home; Helene, now the wife of A. H. Gunderson, of Twelve Mile Lake township; and Emma, the wife of John Nelson, who is living in Wallingford, Iowa.

The parents are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and guide their lives according to its teachings. In his political views Mr. Egertson is a republican and has held a number of township offices, to which he has been called by his fellow townsmen, who recognize his loyalty and progressiveness in matters of citizenship. He has won success through hard work, earnest effort and persistency of purpose and is now one of the substantial agriculturists of the community.

His eldest son, Erik Egertson, was born in Norway, January 29, 1877, and was therefore a little lad of four years when his parents came to the new world. At the usual age he entered the district schools, in which he pursued his education until he reached the age of sixteen. He then began working for his father on the home farm and also followed carpentering until he reached the age of twenty-six. In the meantime, or when he had attained his majority, he purchased the west half of the southeast quarter of section 2, Twelve Mile Lake township, and five years later he began farming upon that tract of land. He has since given his attention to general agricultural pursuits and has followed progressive methods in all that he has undertaken, transforming his place into a highly improved and productive farm.

In 1903 Eric Egertson was married to Miss Sophia Myhre, a daughter of Ole and Gunild (Brunweld) Myhre, Center township, Emmet county. They have five children: Hagbert, Oswald, Ernest, Kermit and Lauritz. Erik Egertson has served as school director and, like his father, is interested in all those forces which tend to advance the welfare and progress of his community. At the same time he is, like his father, a representative agriculturist of his section of the county, leading a life of honorable activity fraught with good results.

Source: History of Emmet County and Dickinson County Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, The Pioneer Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1917.