John Severson

SEVERSON, ANDERSON, SINGLESTAD, JOHNSON, THOMPSON

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 2/6/2010 at 08:39:31

JOHN SEVERSON

John Severson, who is engaged in farming on section 23, Norway township, Winnebago county, has for more than four decades lived upon this farm. His has been an active life devoted to general agricultural pursuits, and whatever success he has achieved or enjoyed is attributable entirely to his own well directed efforts. He was born in Norway, October 15, 1847, a son of Sever and Martha Anderson, in whose family were fifteen children, of whom seven are yet living. All are residents of the United States, but John Severson of this review and his sister Sophia, now the wife of Ole Singlestad, of Norway township, are the only ones living in Winnebago county. The father was a fisherman.

John Severson carne to America when a little lad of nine years with his uncle. Thomas Johnson, who settled in Freeborn county, Minnesota. He lived with and worked for his uncle until he attained his majority and then, ambitious to engage in farming on his own account, he bought the west half of the northwest quarter of section 33, Norway township, Winnebago county, Iowa, and began the cultivation of his eighty acre tract of land. He has since farmed and improved this place, converting it into one of the attractive properties of the township. He and his wife still occupy forty acres of the original place. After John Severson had been a resident of the United States for some time his parents also crossed the Atlantic and settled in Freeborn county, Minnesota, where the father engaged in general agricultural pursuits. Both passed away there and were buried in the Lime Creek cemetery.

When twenty-three years of age John Severson was united in marriage to Miss Julia Thompson, a sister of C. O. Thompson, of Norway township, and they had one child, Ole, who died at the age of a year. Mr. and Mrs. Severson are members of the Synod Lutheran church and his political endorsement is given to the republican party, for he believes that its principles combine the best elements of good government. He is thoroughly American in spirit and interests. For more than sixty years he has lived in this country and has always been identified with the middle west. He has lived a life of activity which has brought substantial results and lie is now in very comfortable financial circumstances.

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. 484-485.