Hartvig Mikal Sparboe (1867-1935)

SPARBOE, LOGAN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 8/9/2024 at 00:30:25

From Story City Herald October 31, 1935 (page 2)

H. M. SPARBOE DIED SUNDAY

Death Came Suddenly to Former Story City Man in Minneapolis

H. M. Sparboe, 68, former mayor of Webster City, prominently identified with the business and political life of the community for years and widely known over Hamilton and Story county, died suddenly and unexpectedly at the family home in Minneapolis Sunday.

Mr. Sparboe visited friends and relatives two weeks ago in Webster City, Scott township and at other points in Hamilton county. He appeared in his usual rugged health, and took the same lively interest as always in city, state and national affairs.

He leaves his wife, two sons, Anthony and Jerome, and one daughter, Thelma. Jerome and Thelma lived at home and Anthony, who is married, lived in the same house, a duplex. One brother, Carl, lives in Scott township.

Born in Norway

H. M. Sparboe grew to manhood in Scott township, where his widowed mother brought her four sons, the oldest ten and the youngest two, in 1873. he was born in northern Norway, March 5, 1867, and was but three years old when his father, Anthony Sparboe, died three days before the birth of the youngest son in 1870. Three years later the mother and her little family left the old home country and came to America, making their way direct to Hamilton county, where they settled in Scott township.

They settled on a farm which the mother and her children worked and which later the sons purchased. The children were H. M., John H., Carl and O. A. B., of whom Carl is the only survivor.

Qualified as Teacher

The financial condition of this immigrant family was such that all the boys had to work out whenever possible. In consequence Hartvig's early educational opportunities were very limited. He attended the winter terms of the country school, however. But he was ambitious and not satisfied with the education there acquitted, bent his every effort to attaining means to permit continuance of his studies. And so after some years he was able to enter St. Olaf's college at Northfield, and afterward the Dexter Normal school at Dexter, Iowa.

He thus qualified himself for the profession of teaching, which he followed during the winter months after reaching the age of 17, while he worked on the farm during the summer season. He was prudent and thrifty and saved his money. He was thus enabled later enter Calanan college at Des Moines and still later entered the Iowa Business college there from which he was graduated with the class of 1890.

To Story City in 1891

Later Mr. Sparboe taught stenography in the Iowa Business college for a year, after which he joined his brother, O. Sparboe, in establishing and conducting a business college in Story City in 1891, known as the Story City Business college. He became deputy treasurer of Hamilton county in 1898 under the late Peter Mathre, also a former Story City man. Then he held positions in two of the Webster City banks before going into the insurance business for himself. In 1909 he was elected mayor of Webster City, serving for four years.

During the World war he was especially prominent in home activities. He was chairman for Hamilton county of the second Liberty loan and made the unusual record of making his county the first "over the top" in the state.

The Freeman-Journal says of him: "No more public spirited man ever lived in Webster City than H. M. Sparboe. Besides serving on the council, two terms as mayor, head of the sewer pipe company, active in war work he also served as the head of the old Commercial League and during all the years he lived here was prominently identified with every activity of a public nature. He was always actuated by a spirit of enterprise and his full co-operation was given to every movement for the general good.

Move to Minneapolis

"The family wee members of the Christian Science church in which Mr. Sparboe served several terms as reader. He was married June 3, 1893 in Webster City to Miss Gertrude Logan of Roland, daughter of a pioneer family. Mr. and Mrs. Sparboe had been friends since children. They became the parents of four children, the first born dying in infancy.

"Some ten years ago the family moved to Minneapolis where Mr. Sparboe became identified with a drain tile company. He traveled largely in the state of Wisconsin.

"No family in recent years was more prominent or widely known in Hamilton county than the Sparboes. Mr. Sparboe's untiring energy, his love for his home community and his leadership in all public enterprises, made him an outstanding character--a man to whom Webster City owes much. He loved to make occasional trips back to Hamilton county and it is a source of pleasure to his many friends over the county that his last trip here was but two weeks ago, when he visited friends for several days.

"He will remain in the memory of Hamilton county people as one of the first citizens of the county, a man universally loved and respected for the many public activities which he originated and carried out for the betterment of Webster City and its people."