Married Sioux Twp, Monona County Iowa

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Family history written and shared "especially for Monona County History"

Nels Nikolaisen, a young Danish immigrant, came to this country in 1881. He was one of the many young men that came to the U.S. in the late 19th century and with his hard work, honesty, integrity, strength and foresight helped to build our great country as we know it today.

Nels Nikolaisen was born January 24, 1858, in Bronderslev, Denmark, the third child of Nicolai Nielsen and Inga Marie Madsen.  He grew to manhood in his native country in the company of his five brothers and five sisters.

When he came to America, a young lady, Christine Skow, born April 3, 1858 at Klakring, Denmark, accompanied him and became his bride at Dunlap, Iowa, in 1882. 

Nels and Christiana first came to Moorhead, Iowa, as her brother, Lawrence, lived there.  Nels worked for the Perrin family south of Moorhead for three years.  He managed to save enough money from his wages to buy his first land at three dollars an acre in 1884.  The land purchased was located in section 35, Belvidere township.  Their first home on the land was a cave house but was soon replaced with a large white frame house built in 1886, which stood until it burned to the ground in March 1941.  Nels broke up the native grassland, fenced it, and put the land into crops.  He built a complete set of farm buildings to accommodate his livestock farming. 

To this family five children were born:  Kristine M. 1882 – Chris 1883 – Dagmar – 1884 – Rose 1886 – and an infant, born and died in 1888.  The little daughter, Kristine died at the age of two.  In 1889 death took his wife at age 31, leaving Nels with three young children.

In 1890 Nels returned to Denmark to the home of his father.  There he met and courted a young lady, Marie Sorensen, born August 8, 1865.  In the year 1891 they were married and Nels returned with his new bride to his farm home in Belvidere township.  To this union nine children were born:  Jacob 1891 – Kathryn 1893 – Anna 1895 – Olga 1897 – Infant born and died 1900 – Bryan 1901 – Infant born and died 1903 – Carrie 1904 – Ruth 1907.

Nels continued to add to his land holdings.  In 1894 he acquired land from the Iowa Railroad Company; in 1900 he purchased land from Robert Cooper and 1902 and 1906 he bought two more parcels of land from the Mortensens.

Tragedy came again when Marie, wife and mother, was taken by death July 9, 1908.  Nels moved his family to Moorhead in 1909 but returned to the land in 1910.  When he returned, he built a new home along highway L 16 in section 36 of Belvidere township and later added a complete set of farm buildings.  He lived there and continued to farm for many years.

Nels was a respected and prominent livestock farmer.  He served as director of the Moorhead State Bank and was a member of the Danish Brotherhood in America.  Nels passed from this life on January 2, 1937, at Battle Creek, Iowa and is buried at the Ingemann Danish Cemetery near Moorhead, Iowa.

There words are recorded by his daughter, Carrie Fredrickson, in loving memory of her father.  (Especially for the Monona County History.)

Submitter: Kim Larsen Hunter
Transcribed from original text by L. Ziemann, Monona Co. IAGenWeb Coordinator.