John Helgren

HELGREN, FINGLEBERG

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 1/27/2010 at 04:56:07

JOHN HELGREN

John Helgren, a well known farmer of King township, Winnebago county, living on section 29, was born in Sweden, November 24, 1867, and is a son of Peter and Bertha Helgren, who were also natives of that country, where they spent their entire lives.

The youthful days of John Helgren were passed in his native land and its public schools afforded him his educational opportunities. He was twenty years of age when he severed home ties and sailed for the new world. He did not tarry on the Atlantic coast but made his way at once to the Mississippi valley and located first in Forest City, Iowa. He was employed as a farm hand for four years but he was desirous of engaging in farming on his own account and at length felt that his experience was sufficient to enable him to take that step. He then rented land and at the end of two years, having carefully saved his earnings, he was able to purchase one hundred and sixty acres on section 29, King township, Winnebago county. With characteristic energy he at once began to develop and improve that place, which he has since owned and cultivated, and that he has led a busy life is proven by the very attractive appearance of the farm, which has been carefully cultivated and improved. He is a stockholder of the Farmers Elevator Company and of the Cooperative Creamery Company of Thompson and in addition to cultivating his home place he also farms one hundred and sixty acres of land which he rents.

On the 10th of March, 1893, Mr. Helgren was married to Miss Martha Fingleberg, a daughter of Ole Fingleberg, and they have become the parents of seven children: Palmer, Clarence, Mabel, Hazel, Myrtle and Leonard, all at home; and Helen, who died in infancy.

The religious faith of the family is that of the Lutheran church and in his political belief Mr. Helgren is a republican. He has served as assessor of King township for the past eleven years and has been a member of the school board for many years, while at the present time he is serving as its treasurer. His influence is always on the side of progress and improvement and he gives loyal aid to those interests which tend to promote the material, social, intellectual and moral welfare of his community.

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. 378-379.