Sivert Rasmuson

RASMUSON, HENDRICKSON, BENSON

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 2/6/2010 at 07:29:54

SIVERT RASMUSON

Norway's contribution to the citizenship of Winnebago county includes Sivert Rasmuson, who is living on section 14, King township. He was born February 2, 1864, and is a son of Sivert and Delia (Hendrickson) Rasmuson, who were natives of Norway, where the father followed the occupation of farming until 1884, when he determined to try his fortune in America and brought his family to the new world, settling first in De Kalb county, Illinois, where he was employed at farm labor for three years. He then removed to Shelby county, Iowa, where he rented land and continued its cultivation for seven years. He next went to Madison county, Nebraska, where he cultivated a rented farm for five years. On the expiration of that period he retired from active business and removed to the town of Newman's Grove, where he spent his remaining days, his death occurring in September, 1912. His widow still survives.

Mr. Rasmuson of this review was reared and educated in Norway, being twenty years of age when he came with his parents to the United States. The financial resources of the family were such that it was necessary that he immediately secure employment and he worked as a farm hand in Illinois for a time. He later began farming on his own account in Shelby county, Iowa, where he remained for two years, and then removed to Madison county, Nebraska, where he purchased land which he cultivated for three years. On the expiration of that period he returned to Shelby county, Iowa, and bought eighty acres, which he cultivated for three years. He afterward rented a farm for eleven years and in 1907 he came to Winnebago county, where he bought one hundred and eighty-three acres in Eden township. This he cultivated for six years, when he sold that property and became the owner of his present place of eighty acres on section 14, King township. He has wrought notable changes in the appearance of the place during his ownership, converting it into rich and productive fields divided into tracts of convenient size by well kept fences. He is making a specialty of raising pure bred Duroc hogs and high grade Holstein cattle. He is also a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company of Rake.

In December, 1887, Mr. Rasmuson was united in marriage to Miss Bertha Benson and they have become the parents of six children, Sander, Lillie, Tillie, Gena, Selma and Sylvia. The family attend the Lutheran church, in which Mr. and Mrs. Rasmuson hold membership. His political views are in accord with the teachings and principles of the republican party, and he does not lightly hold the duties and obligations of citizenship, but is loyal to the best interests of the community and manifests a love and allegiance for his adopted land equal to that of many of its native born citizens. He realizes the fact that it has been through business conditions here that he has been enabled to work his way upward. Success is not to be won in a day nor without effort, a fact which Mr. Rasmuson thoroughly understood, and therefore he has wisely used his chances day by day and his persistent labor has gained him place among the representative farmers of King township.

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. 533-534.