Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Severson, Ole ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com March 26, 2006, 8:33 am Author: Bio/Gen Record LaSalle/Grundy 1900 Ole Severson is a native of the land of the Midnight Sun. Among the representatives of that nation who have sought homes in America are found men of the most substantial and reliable citizens of our land. Thrift, enterprise, loyalty and fidelity are numbered among the chief characteristics of these sons of the Scandinavian Peninsula, and it is such qualities that have gained Mr. Severson his plate among the substantial farmers of Greenfield township, Grundy county. He was born in Schonwick, Norway, in August, 1845, and is a son of Sever and Mary (Knutson) Lawson. The father was a farmer and a very hard- working man. His children were: Knut, Laws, John, Knut (the second of the name), Ole, and Valia. Mr. Lawson died in Norway, at the age of seventy years, in the faith of the Lutheran church, of which he had long been a member. Ole Severson was reared on the little farm in Norway on which his parents resided, and received such educational privileges as the common schools of that country afforded. He was trained to habits of industry and economy, and became familiar with the duties and labors of field and meadow. In early life, however, he went to sea, sailing on fishing and merchant vessels. When thirty- five years of age he crossed the Atlantic to America, taking passage on a westward bound steamer at Bergen, and landing at New York in 1880. Taking up his abode in Morris, Illinois, he secured employment on a farm in Grundy county, and throughout his residence here has been connected with its agricultural interests. He was married in Morris, about 1888, to Elizabeth Sampson, whose birth occurred in Norway in 1844, her parents being Mauns and Gusta (Yonson) Sampson. Her father was a farmer, and on emigrating to America took up his abode in Greenfield township, Grundy county, where he died at the age of eighty-five years. His wife passed away at the age of eighty-three. They were highly respected people, and were consistent members of the Lutheran church. Their children were: Sarah, Annie, Elizabeth and Senie. Mr. and Mrs. Severson have one son, Eli. After their marriage they took up their abode on a rented farm in Greenfield township, and in 1891 Mr. Severson purchased his present farm, a tract of eighty acres, for which he paid fifty dollars per acre. He has greatly improved the property, placed many rods of tile upon it, and now has a rich tract under a high state of cultivation, the well tilled fields yielding to him a golden tribute in return for his care and cultivation. His life has been one of hard labor, and he has had many difficulties and obstacles to overcome. It was particularly difficult for him and his wife to gain a start, as they were unfamiliar with the English language; but as the years have passed they have steadily worked their way upward, the enterprise, capable management and untiring industry of the husband being supplemented by the labors of his wife, who in the care of her household displayed excellent judgment and strict economy. In this way they obtained a start, and to-day they are in comfortable circumstances. They may well be proud of their success, for it has been worthily won, and their home stands as a monument to their thrift and ability. Mr. Severson exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party, and both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. Additional Comments: Source: Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County, Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p772-773 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/grundy/bios/severson98gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb