Weld County, History of Colorado, BIOS: MOLANDER, August (published 1918)
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"History of Colorado", edited by Wilbur Fisk Stone, published by The S. J. 
Clarke Publishing Co. (1918)  Vol. II

p. 19-20


AUGUST MOLANDER.

	August Molander is now practically living retired. Various 
business interests have claimed his time and attention and whatever he 
has undertaken has been carried forward to successful completion. He is 
still the owner of valuable farming property which he rents and his 
energies are now largely given to service as a member of the ditch 
board-a service which is of a most valuable character to the community. 
He was born in Sweden, January 24, 1870, a son of Charles and Matilda 
Molander. The father was a farmer of Sweden and came to America with 
his family in the year 1886. In this country he devoted his attention 
to agricultural pursuits and also to railroad work for a considerable 
period and he is now living with his son Philip upon a farm about two 
miles from Ault. His wife passed away in 1902 and was laid to rest in 
Eaton. Their family numbered the following named: Anna, who became the 
wife of Carl Nelson; Charles; August; Ture, who died in 1913; Oscar; 
Selma; Alma, the wife of Harold Balmer; and Philip, who married Hattie 
Swanson.

	August Molander spent the first fifteen years of his life in his 
native country and whatever educational advantages he enjoyed were 
attained during that period, but his opportunities in that direction 
were somewhat limited and his most valuable lessons have been gained in 
the school of experience. At length he determined to try his fortune in 
the new world and with his brother Charles crossed the Atlantic. They 
did not tarry on the eastern coast but made their way at once into the 
Interior of the country, settling at Oakland. Nebraska, where they 
began farming, meeting with substantial success in this undertaking. In 
the spring of 188S August Molander removed to Haxtum, Colorado. In the 
meantime his parents had come to the new world and the father, who was 
a very energetic and enterprising man, began farming in Colorado, where 
he had better opportunities than he could secure in Europe. He took up 
a claim there and August Molander assisted him in the development and 
improvement of the farm, aiding in the arduous tasks necessary to the 
transformation of wild land into productive fields. He also worked at 
times on the railroad, but owing to the unsettled condition of the 
country he returned to Oakland, Nebraska, where he began stock feeding, 
in which business he engaged until 1892. He then returned to Colorado 
and in the spring of that year took up his abode at Greeley, where he 
made his home from 1892 until 1895. He has been interested in farm 
properties at Ault and Haxtum since the latter year and he also began 
farming at Baton in 1895. He purchased land at Ault in 1898 and today 
has a valuable tract of one hundred and sixty acres there. In 1899 he 
purchased another quarter section from A. J. Eaton and through the 
intervening period has been more or less actively connected with 
agricultural interests. In 1901 he took up his abode at Ault and 
concentrated his efforts and attention upon the development and 
improvement of his farm, comprising three hundred and twenty acres of 
land. In 1913 he began feeding sheep and he purchased two hundred and 
forty acres additional situated about two miles north of Ault. On that 
property he remained for four years. In 1917, however, he left the 
ranch and established his home in the town and at the present time he 
is renting his farms, from which he derives a very substantial annual 
income. He is also connected with the Smith Lumber Company and is one 
of the directors of the First National Bank.

	Mr. Molander was united in marriage on the 18th of February, 
1903, in Oakland, Nebraska, to Miss Hilma Nelson, whose father was a 
farmer of that locality. Mr. and Mrs. Molander are members of the 
Congregational church and his political allegiance is given to the 
republican party. He is a director of the Ault Exchange and Is 
interested in everything that has to do with the welfare and progress 
of the community in which he makes his home. He is one of the 
Intelligent, energetic and progressive men of his community who is now 
serving as a member of the ditch board and his work in this connection 
receives almost his entire attention and is of a most valuable 
character. He stands for all those interests which are a matter of 
civic virtue and civic pride and cooperates earnestly in every movement 
for the general good. He finds his chief diversion in motoring. He has 
led a busy life, la a man of generous nature and kindly spirit, and 
upright principles have guided him at all points in his career. While 
he had many hardships and difficulties to overcome in early manhood, he 
has steadily advanced and today is numbered among the men of affluence 
in his community.