Arne Sogard

SOGARD, HOYE, OSMUND, JENSEN, CLARK

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 2/6/2010 at 08:49:26

ARNE SOGARD

One of the representative farmers of Winnebago county, Iowa, is Arne Sogard, now residing on section 30, Mount Valley township, where he is successfully engaged in the cultivation of a tract of forty acres. He was born in Norway, August 22, 1856, and was a lad of eleven years when he came to the United States with his parents, Thron A. and Mary (Hoye) Sogard, who were also natives of the land of the midnight sun. On crossing the Atlantic in 1867 the family located in Racine county, Wisconsin, and after residing there for three years came to Winnebago county, Iowa, taking up their abode in Forest City. In 1873 the father purchased eighty acres of land on section 31, Mount Valley township, where he continued to carry on farming up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1881. The mother survived him for thirty-four years, passing away in 1915.

Arne Sogard began his education in the common schools of Norway and after the emigration of the family to America attended the public schools here, completing his studies in the high school of Forest City. He assisted in the operation of the home farm until his marriage and then took charge of the place, which he continued to farm for ten years thereafter. In the meantime he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, also on section 31, Mount Valley township, on which he located in 1889, but in 1892 he sold that farm and bought the forty-acre tract on which he has since resided.

In March, 1879, Mr. Sogard was united in marriage to Miss Annie Osmund, of Winnebago county, who was born in Michigan of Norwegian parentage. Nine children were born of this union, of whom five are still living, namely: Sarah Amanda, the wife of Joseph P. Jensen, of St. Paul, Minnesota; Matilda Theodora, the wife of Lewis A. Clark, of Jenkins, Minnesota; Minnie Lenora, who is now keeping house for her father; and Leonard Thomas and Elmer Marion, also at home. The wife and mother passed away on the 24th of April, 1907.

The family hold membership in the United Lutheran church and are people of prominence in the community where they reside. In politics Mr. Sogard is a stanch republican and for several years past he has filled various township offices, including those of township trustee and assessor. For the long period of eighteen years he has served on the school board and he has always taken a very active and prominent part in public affairs in Mount Valley township. He is a stockholder of the Winnebago County Fair Association and has done much to promote the interests of his community along various lines.

Source: History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol. II. Pioneer Publishing Company (Chicago), 1917. pp. 205-206.