History of Winnebago County and Hancock County Iowa
Vol. II  Chicago: Pioneer Publishing Company, 1917

D

Unless noted, biographies submitted by Dick Barton.

LARS O. DAHLEN

At the time of his demise Lars O. Dahlen had retired from his labors as an agriculturist and was living in Lake Mills, where he was held in the highest esteem, and his death was recognized as a loss to his community as well as to his family and intimate friends. He was one of the first settlers of Winnebago county, coming here from Wisconsin by prairie schooner in 1870, at which time conditions were far different from those obtaining at present. He was born in Norway, November 29, 1838, and was a son of Ole and Ragna Dahlen, farming people of that country, where they passed their entire lives.

Lars O. Dahlen was a pupil in the common schools of Norway until he was confirmed in the Lutheran Church and remained in that country until 1864, when he came alone to the United States, crossing the Atlantic on a sailboat which was thirteen weeks in making the voyage. He worked on farms in Columbia county, Wisconsin, for six years, or until 1870, when by prairie schooner he came to Winnebago county, Iowa. He purchased a quarter section of land in Center township and for thirty-seven years gave his undivided attention to the operation of that place, which he made one of the valuable farm properties of his township. He raised both grain and stock, and as he was industrious and progressive he received a good annual income. He organized the Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, of which he was director and manager for a number of years, and was one of the organizers of the Lake Mills Lumber Company, the Lake Mills Creamery and the Center Telephone Company. In 1907, feeling that he had earned a period of leisure, he retired and purchased a fine home in Lake Mills, where he resided until his death, which occurred on the 20th of May 1915. He is buried in North cemetery at Lake Mills.

The marriage of Mr. Dahlen and Miss Magdalene Ljone was solemnized in Wisconsin November 27, 1869. She is a daughter of Ole and Jorund Ljone, who were born and married in Norway, but in 1847 settled in Lafayette county, Wisconsin. They died in that state, the father at the age of ninety-three years and the mother when in her seventy-first year, and they are buried in Lodi, Wisconsin. To Mr. and Mrs. Dahlen were born six children: Oscar L., who died at the age of nine years; Josephine M., the wife of George E. Johnson, of Mayville, North Dakota; Rachel J., who died at the age of thirteen; Oscar L., who is married and resides near Scarville, in Winnebago county; Martha O., at home; and Adolph R., who died at the age of eighteen.

Mr. Dahlen was a republican in his political belief and held a number of township offices, such as school director and trustee, the duties of which he discharged promptly, conscientiously and capably. He manifested the keenest interest in educational matters and the first school in Center township was held upstairs in the log cabin which was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dahlen. Nothing that pertained to the development of the community was unimportant to him. He gave his hearty support to the work of the United Lutheran church, of which he was a communicant, and in fact all forces working for moral advancement profited by his aid. He was a man of sterling character and won and retained the friendship of practically all who came into close contact with him. His widow still lives in Lake Mills and in addition to the five acres on which the residence is situated she owns two hundred and forty acres of fine land in Center township. She has a wide acquaintance throughout the county and is highly esteemed.

O. E. DAKKEN

After many years of active life, mainly devoted to agricultural pursuits, O. E. Dakken is living retired in Lake Mills , Iowa , enjoying a well earned rest and the fruits of former toil. He was born in Norway on the 1st of September, 1849 , and is a son of Eric and Margaret (Olson) Dakken, who were likewise natives of that country, where they continued to make their home until 1851, when they took passage on a vessel bound for the United States . They located in Dane county, Wisconsin , where the father purchased land and turned his attention to farming. There he died in 1864 and his wife, who long survived him, passed away in 1905, at the age of eighty years.

O. E. Dakken was only two years of age when the family crossed the ocean and took up their abode in Dane county, Wisconsin, where he passed his boyhood and youth with the usual educational advantages. His father was an invalid for two years prior to his death and our subject took charge of the farm and assumed the responsibility of caring for the family. As soon as large enough to reach the plow handles he began work on the farm and gave his mother the benefit of his labor until he reached mature years. Mr. Dakken came to Winnebago county, Iowa , in 1869, and purchased land in Mount Valley township, where he followed farming for six years. At the end of that time he sold his place and bought a farm in Worth county, which he successfully operated for seventeen years. Prosperity having attended his efforts, he was able to lay aside business cares and for the past eleven years has practically lived retired in Lake Mills. In addition to general farming he was quite extensively engaged in stock raising, making a specialty of Percheron and Norman horses, high grade cattle and thoroughbred Chester White hogs, and he is now a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company of Joice , Iowa .

On the 12th of June, 1870 , Mr. Dakken married Miss Signa Halverson, who died October 16, 1900 . By that union eight children were born, namely: Sena, who died in 1890 at the age of nineteen years; Edward, now a resident of Wisconsin; Henry, of Lake Mills, Iowa; Annie, who married Dr. P. A. Helgeson and died in 1911; Martin, a resident of Lake Mills; Nora, the wife of Henry Freeman, of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Lewis, of Lake Mills; and Mamie, at home with her father. Mr. Dakken was again married June 7, 1906, his second union being with Mrs. Lena (Thompson) Larson, a daughter of Gunder and Nellie Thompson, of whom mention is made in the sketch of Henry Thompson on another page of this volume.

Mr, Dakken is an earnest and consistent member of the Methodist church, and, being a strong temperance man, he votes the prohibition ticket, believing that the liquor traffic is one of the nation's greatest evils. He served as school director and constable in Mount Valley township, Winnebago county, and has ever taken a commendable interest in public affairs as every public-spirited citizen should.