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Allamakee County >> 1913 Index Past and Present of Allamakee County Iowa K Unless otherwise specified, these biographies are submitted by Dick Barton. During
a period of residence in Allamakee county covering forty-six
years, William Morton Kelly made many substantial contributions to its
agricultural and business development and his name still stands as a
synonym for progress, reform and advancement in the communities where he
was known.
A great many of the business enterprises in this part of the
state profited greatly by his initiative spirit and his untiring
industry and a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 33,
Paint Creek township, stands as a memorial to his life of energy and
thrift.
Upon this property he passed away January 18, 1907.
Mr.
Kelly was born in Ohio on the 7th of April, 1833, and was of Irish
descent, though his father, Daniel Kelly, was a native of Ohio as was
his father before him.
The public schools of his native county afforded
William M. Kelly his educational opportunities and after laying aside
his books he turned his attention to farming, engaging in that
occupation in Ohio until 1861.
In that year he came to Allamakee county
and he remained an honored and respected resident of this part of Iowa
until his death.
He settled first in the village known as Sixteen, in
what is now Linton township, and remained there seven years, removing in
1868 to Rossville, where he became very successful in the conduct of a
general store.
He went to Mason City in 1870 and became a merchant
there, but after three years returned to his business in Rossville,
building up in that community a large, well managed and profitable
mercantile enterprise.
However, in 1878, he again turned his attention
to farming, buying on section 33, Paint Creek township, a one hundred
and sixty acre tract which has formerly belonged to his brother Richard.
It had been improved but was badly run down and Mr. Kelly turned his
attention with characteristic energy to its development, repairing the
buildings, erecting new ones and neglecting nothing which would add to
the attractive appearance or value of the place.
He made it an
excellent property, provided with all the accessories and conveniences
of a model farm and at his death was numbered among the representative
and progressive agriculturists of his locality.
In
Ohio on the 19th of August, 1858, Mr. Kelly was united in marriage to
Miss Sarah Lewis, a daughter of Jesse and Esther Lewis, and they became
the parents of thirteen children, eight of whom are still living:
Nettie, who makes her home with her brother Daniel; Alice, twin sister
of Nettie and the wife of Samuel Campbell of Nebraska; Mary, who married
T. B. Campbell of Sheridan, Wyoming; Daniel, who is engaged in farming
in Paint Creek township; Jesse L., also a farmer in Paint Creek
township; William H.; Mattie, the wife of Albert Gast of Paint Creek
township; and Fred, a resident of Giltner, Nebraska.
William H. Kelly
is operating the family homestead and is accounted one of
the
successful and representative farmers of Allamakee county.
He was born
in Rossville, March 2, 1870, and acquired his education in the district
schools.
After the death of his father he came into possession of the
farm and has ably carried forward the work of development.
He married
Miss Sarah Klees, a native of this county and a daughter of Mathias and
Emeline Klees, the former of whom has passed away.
The mother lives
upon a farm in Linton township.
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Kelly have one
daughter, Ruth.
Mrs. William Morton Kelly survives her husband and
makes her home upon the farm with her son and daughter-in-law. She
is a
lady of many excellent traits of mind and character and her long
residence here has brought her wide-spread esteem and many friends.
William
Morton Kelly was a member of the Presbyterian church and was a
democrat in his political beliefs.
He was prominent in the party's
councils and active in public affairs, being eminently progressive and
public-spirited in matters of citizenship.
For many years he rendered
his township excellent service as trustee and was for three years a
member of the county board of supervisors.
Projects for the advancement
and development of Allamakee county seldom lacked his ready and hearty
cooperation, and meritorious business enterprises could always look to
him for support.
Thus he aided in the organization of the Waterville
Creamery which is still in operation and which has proven through the
years an important factor in business expansion.
In Allamakee county
where he was widely known, he held the esteem and confidence of all his
associates and his death was felt as a personal loss by all who were
fortunate enough to come within the close circle of his friendship.
Of
the native sons of Allamakee county, none have taken a deeper
interest in its welfare than has Charles J. Knudtson, who is numbered
among the progressive farmers of Makee township.
He was born on the
homestead farm, on which he still resides, December 1, 1867, a son of
Knudt Knudtson, who was born in Norway, September 28, 1818.
After
reaching mature years the father emigrated to the new world, first
making his home in Wisconsin. Subsequently he removed to Iowa and spent
his remaining years in Makee township.
His wife bore the maiden name of
Rhenild Ambrose.
She was likewise a native of Norway, and by her
marriage became the mother of seven children, four of whom are living:
Mrs. Cornelia Banks, a widow, residing in Tacoma, Washington;
Mrs. Anna
Johnson Engrav, of Waukon;
Thomas, who is mentioned elsewhere in this
work; and Charles J., of this review.
The parents are now deceased, the
father passing away in August, 1902, when he had reached the advanced
age of eighty-three years. The mother died about 1887.
Charles
J. Knudtson was reared on the home farm and was early trained in
the work of plowing, planting and harvesting.
After reaching mature
years he more and more largely assumed the responsibility of the farm
and cared for his parents in their declining years.
He eventually
succeeded to the east half of the homestead and now has a tract of one
hundred and sixty acres.
Since coming into possession of the place he
has made further improvements, having remodeled the house, barn and
other outbuildings, and is today numbered among the successful farmers
and stock-raisers of Makee township.
He raises Chester White hogs and
Percheron horses and also does some dairying.
Mr.
Knudtson was married on the 11th of June, 1895, to Miss Amelia
Enguburtson, who was born and reared in Taylor township, Allamakee
county.
Two children have been born of this union, Clyde J. and Beulah.
In
politics Mr. Knudtson is a stanch republican, and he and his family
are members of the Lutheran church.
He is not only a successful farmer
but is a public-spirited man, loyal to the best interests of Makee
township and Allamakee county.
Through
well directed business activity and enterprise Thomas Knudtson
has gained recognition as one of the progressive farmers of Allamakee
county.
He owns a highly improved tract of land of one hundred and
sixty acres on section 15, Makee township, and has here resided since
1893, during which time his labors have not only contributed to his own
prosperity but have proven effective forces in advancing the general
welfare.
He is a native of Allamakee county and a representative of one
of the most
honored and highly respected pioneer families in the state,
his father having settled in Makee township in 1851.
Thomas Knudtson
was born upon the home farm September 8, 1862, his parents being Knudt
and Rhenild (Ambrose) Knudtson, natives of Norway, the former born
September 28, 1818.
He grew to manhood in his native country and in
1847 crossed the Atlantic to America, locating in Wisconsin, where he
spent four years.
In 1851 he bought two yoke of oxen and, placing some
household goods in a covered wagon, drove across the plains to Iowa.
On
the way he lost his frying-pan and this much needed article of daily use
he was obliged to replace by a flat stone which he heated and upon which
he prepared his meals for some time thereafter.
Knudt Knudtson
purchased a claim of one hundred and sixty acres in Makee township, this
county, and settled upon it when pioneer conditions prevailed
everywhere, when the wilderness stretched around him for miles in all
directions, when there were no neighbors within walking distance and
when the Indians were frequent visitors to his cabin.
With
characteristic energy he cleared the timber, broke the raw soil and
began the work of development which gradually transformed his property
into an attractive and productive farm.
He built upon his holdings a
little log cabin in which he resided until 1856, when he replaced it by
a modern dwelling which still stands upon the property.
The years
brought him steadily increasing success and from time to time he added
to his holdings, accumulating three hundred and thirty acres.
By virtue
of his energy, ability and perseverance he won a place among the
substantial agriculturists of this community, commanding and holding the
high respect and esteem o all who were associated with him.
His death,
which occurred on his farm in August, 1902, when he was eighty-three
years of age, was therefore the occasion of deep and widespread regret
and deprived Allamakee county of one of her valued and representative
citizens and one of the earliest and finest of her pioneers.
Knudt
Knudtson married in Lansing Miss Rhenild Ambrose, a native of Norway,
and they became the parents of seven children, of whom four are living:
Mrs. Cornelia Banks, a widow, residing in Tacoma, Washington;
Mrs. Anna
Johnson Engrav, of Waukon, Iowa, who has a son, Robert Johnson Engrav, a
talented pianist;
Thomas, of this review;
and Charles, who owns the
old home farm.
Thomas
Knudtson was reared upon the home farm and acquired his education
in the country schools and in Decorah College.
In his childhood and
youth he helped to improve and operate the farm and upon his twenty-
first birthday his father gave him one hundred and sixty acres of the
estate, upon which he has since resided.
The land lies on sections 15
and 16, Makee township, and Mr. Knudtson has carried forward the work of
development in an intelligent and able manner, erecting substantial
barns and outbuildings and installing modern machinery.
The farm is
valuable and well improved in every particular, its owner being a
practical and able agriculturist who never neglects anything that will
add to the attractive appearance or value of his place.
In addition to
raising grain Mr. Knudtson does an extensive dairy business and has
important stock-raising interests.
He is a stockholder in the Farmers
Cooperative Creamery of Waukon, of which he served as first vice-
president, and also in the Farmers Stock & Produce Company, and in
business circles is regarded as a resourceful, farsighted and able man.
In
Makee township, on March 8, 1893, Mr. Knudtson was united in marriage
to Miss Clara Hansen, who was born and reared in Winneshiek county, and
they have become the parents of five children:
Rosa M., of Waterloo,
Iowa;
and Lulu K., Anna C., Hazel J., and Thomas C., at home.
Mr.
Knudtson gives his political allegiance to the democratic party, having
cast his first vote for Grover Cleveland and his last for Woodrow
Wilson.
He has never sought nor desired public office, preferring to
devote his attention to his business affairs, which, being carefully and
capably conducted, have brought him a gratifying measure of success.
Solve
K. Kolsrud, proprietor of a large and profitable general
mercantile establishment in Waterville and one of the prominent, able
and public-spirited residents of Waukon, has lived in Allamakee county
since 1877.
He was born in Norway in 1875 and two years afterward was
brought to America by his parents, who came directly to Iowa, locating
first in Paint Creek township, Allamakee county, and later settling in
Jefferson township on a farm.
their son grew to manhood there,
acquiring his early education in the public schools and supplementing
this by a course at Decorah Institute and the Upper Iowa University and
at Fayette, Iowa, where he took a commercial course.
After completing
his studies Mr. Kolsrud turned his attention to teaching, following that
occupation for several winter terms in different counties of this state
and spending his summers during this time in farming.
Solve
K. Kolsrud became connected with general merchandising, in which
he has since attained prominence and prosperity, when he formed a partnership
with Tollef Johnson and under the firm name of Johnson &
Kolsrud opened a store in Waukon.
After three years he sold his
interest in this enterprise and accepted a position with the
International Harvester Company, whom he represented as a traveling
salesman for six or seven years in northeastern Iowa.
He left this
position when he was appointed deputy auditor of Allamakee county and
did such able and conscientious work in that capacity that after four
years he was elected auditor, serving until January 1, 1913, and
discharging his duties in a businesslike, able and progressive manner.
In December, 1912, he purchased his brother's general store in
Waterville and has since continued to conduct it, controlling today an
important and growing trade.
He keeps a large and well selected stock
of goods and the business has steadily expanded since he assumed
control, being now a large and profitable enterprise.
Mr. Kolsrud makes
his home in Waukon, where he owns a neat and attractive residence and
where he intends to live for some time to come in order to give his
children the benefit of the excellent schools in the city.
In
Center township, Allamakee county, on the 14th of June, 1896, Mr.
Kolsrud married Miss Gunda Marie Bakkum, who was born and reared in that
community.
They became the parents of the following children,
Agnes
G.,
Katherine Alvira,
Stella Grace,
Harry Frederick
and
Lillian.
The parents are members of the Lutheran church.
Mr. Kolsrud is a member
of the Knights of the Maccabees.
Having lived practically all of his
life in Allamakee county, he has become widely known here and the fact
that many of his stanchest friends have known him since childhood is an
indication that his career has been straightforward, honorable and
upright in all its relations.
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