- GEORGE ELLEFSON, who resides on his farm two miles northeast
of Browntown, Green
- county, was born in the province of Christiania, in Norway,
Sept. 30, 1847, one of the twelve children of Ellef and Bertha
(PETERSON) NELSON, both also natives of Norway. In 1873 they
came to Green county, Wis., where the husband and father died.
The widowed mother has now reached the age of eighty years, and
makes her home in Iowa.
- George ELLEFSON, whose name appears at the opening of this
article, was married to Dorothy
- JAMES, a native of Norway, April 15, 1876. To this union
were born three sons; (1) James Edward, born in the town of Jordan,
May 17, 1877, married Grace WOODLE, and has one son, George R.;
they live in Monroe, Wis. (2) Anton B., born Jan. 19, 1881, resides
in Chicago, where he follows the carpenter trade. (3) Peter Morgan,
born May 19, 1884, remains at home on the farm with his father.
Mrs. Dorothy ELLEFSON died in 1889, and on Oct. 13, 1891, Mr.
ELLEFSON was married to Miss Leve KNUDTSON, of Burnett, Wis.,
a native of the province of Christiania, Norway.
- George ELLEFSON was born in a humble home, and had to make
his way against the hindrances
- of unfriendly poverty. When he landed in America, in 1869,
he had only fifty cents, and was in debt to his uncle, Ole PETERSON,
for his passage money to this country. After he had eaten his
first meal here he had only twenty cents left in his pocket.
He had a brave heart, however, and a stout arm. After paying
his own passage money he earned enough to assist his parents
and the other members of the family to come to America. Gradually
he made his way to a competence, and now owns a fine Wisconsin
farm of 115 acres, with a good dwelling house, and ample outbuildings.
The house in which he lives is just across the township line
in Cadiz, part of his land being located in Section 35, Jordan
township, and part in Section 2, Cadiz township.
- Mr. ELLEFSON is a Republican in politics, and with his wife
is associated with the Lutheran
- Church. One of the thoroughly honorable and upright farmers
of the town, all that he as acquired has come by hard work and
the most careful management. He is noted for his honesty and
truthfulness, and much credit is due him for the honorable position
he has acquired in his adopted land.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin,"
(c)1901 Union Publishing; p. 822.
-
- Courtesy of Carol.
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