Bio of ANDERSEN, O. Ralph (b.1877), Hennepin Co., MN ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Laura Pruden Submitted: June 2003 ========================================================================= Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ======================================================== submitted by Laura Pruden, email Raisndustbunys@aol.com ======================================================== EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical O. RALPH ANDERSEN (alternate: Ralph O. Andersen) - Vol II, pg 601-602 Minneapolis numbers among her foremost citizens O. Ralph Andersen, president of the Liberty State Bank. He was born in Ridgeway, Iowa, on the 3d of January, 1877, a son of Anton and Elizabeth (Olsen) Andersen, natives of Norway. They came to the United States in 1876 and settled in Iowa, where they remained one year, the father engaging in the shoe business. At the termination of that time they returned to Norway, where they lived five years. Returning to the United States, they located in Nebraska for two years and then again went back to their native land. Mrs. Andersen's death occurred in Norway, in 1883, and Mr. Andersen continued to reside there until September, 1887. In that month he sailed again for this country and located in Minneapolis. He engaged in the shoe business in this city for some years and achieved substantial success. Before returning to this country the last time Mr. Andersen married Augusta Olsen, whose death occurred in 1915. Mr. Andersen lived retired for some time prior to his demise in 1914. To the first union two sons ana one daughter were born, O. Ralph, whose name introduces this review, being the second in order of birth. In the acquirement of his education O. Ralph Andersen attended the public schools in this country and in Norway. Subsequently he enrolled in the University of Minnesota and was graduated in 1898, as a pharmacist and chemist. He made his initial step into the business world as a pharmacist and later established a store at Lake Park, also conducting stores at Ulen and Hawley. In 1915 he came to Minneap­olis and engaged in the manufacture of chemicals as a member of the Bora Septic Chemical Company, of which concern he is now president and treasurer. He has business interests in Ulen and is a director in the Ulen State Bank, and is also president of the Atlas Chemical Company. In 1921 Mr. Andersen became president of the Liberty State Bank in this city and has continued to hold this important position. The dominant factors in Mr. Andersen's success have been energy and enterprise, to which is added everyday common sense, guided by resistless will power. In Minneapolis, on the 12th of July, 1904, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Andersen and Miss Jennie Amonson, a daughter of Martin Amonson of Minneapolis. The Amonsons are among the oldest and most honored families in this city. Mr. and Mrs. Andersen have two children, Earl and Margaret. Mrs. Andersen is a woman of culture and refinement and she is prominent in the clubs and social circles of Minneapolis. In his political views Mr. Andersen is a stanch democrat and for some time was a member of the democratic committee of Clay county. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, holding membership in Lake Park Lodge; is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, belonging to the Crookston Lodge; and religiously he is a consistent communicant of Golgotha Lutheran church, of which he is a trustee. He is an active member of the Citizens Club and is treasurer and director of the Franklin Avenue Business Men's Club. Mr. Andersen is essentially an outdoor man and is fond of all sports, spending a great deal of his spare time in hunting and fishing. In matters of citizenship, as in those of business, Mr. Andersen is diligent and pro­gressive, giving his endorsement to all worthy enterprises and cooperating in promot­ing every movement which is calculated to advance the intellectual, moral or material welfare of the community.