Bio of MOE, Odin (b.1856), 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
========================================================
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
========================================================

Vol II, pg 656-657
ODIN MOE
The Scandinavian countries have furnished a large quota of the citizenship of
Min­nesota-a citizenship that is strong and dominant in its elements, ambitious
in its purposes and forceful in its accomplishments. To this class belongs Odin
Moe, a native of Norway, who came to Minneapolis empty-handed forty-one years
ago and is now classed with the most successful and enterprising business men of
the city. His birth occurred on the 9th of April, 1856, and his parents, Thor
and Gertrude (Quam) Moe, were also natives of the Land of the Midnight Sun, in
which they spent their lives.
Left an orphan when about nine years of age, Odin Moe was thrown upon his own
resources when but a child and his life has been one of unabating toil, many of
the pleasures and pastimes of boyhood having been denied him. He was employed at
farm labor until he reached the age of eighteen years and most of his education
was acquired at night school after his labors for the day were finished. Going
to Trondhjem, Nor­way, he became proficient in the art of making ornamental
glass and gold gilding and in 1880 he left his native land, hoping to find
better opportunities for advancement in the United States. He arrived in St.
Paul an entire stranger, with a very limited amount of money and possessing but
a slight knowledge of the English language. After a short stay in that city he
expended two dollars for a round trip ticket to Minneapolis, having a desire to
obtain first-hand information regarding the town concerning which he had heard
many disparaging reports. He made the journey by way of Fort Snelling, on the
old railroad, and ate his dinner in the only restaurant in the down town section
at that time. A tour of the place convinced him that Minneapolis would soon
outstrip St. Paul, owing to its advantageous location, so he determined to make
this city his home, and time has proven the wisdom of his choice. For six weeks
he worked in an art shop in St. Paul with an Englishman named Blackmore, from
whom he learned the technical names of the goods in the store, and on March 1,
1881, Mr. Moe located per­manently in Minneapolis, securing employment at his
trade. In the spring of that year he was sent to Anoka in connection with an
order for gilding from a wealthy patron and was quite favorably impressed with
the town, which at that time presented a more attractive appearance than
Minneapolis, although he was thoroughly convinced of the future that awaited
this city. He secured work in the art store of W. W. Wales & Company, which was
then located on Nicollet avenue, across from the old city hall, removal being
made two years later to No. 307 Nicollet avenue and subsequently to the site now
occupied by the Powers Mercantile Company. The third floor of the building was
used as a gilding shop by Mr. Moe, who is the pioneer in this business in the
Northwest, and at that time this was the only art store in this section of the
country. He secured three assistants, Mr. Aagren coming from Stockholm, Sweden,
while Mr. Lenner is also a native of that country and is now connected with
Bradstreet & Son, Mr. McCormick, the third assistant, came from Boston,
Massachusetts. For seven years Mr. Moe remained with the firm of W. W. Wales &
Company and at the end of that time he had accumulated sufficient capital to
enable him to establish an inde­pendent enterprise and turned his attention to
the house furnishing and wall paper business, becoming a member of the firm of
Moe & Albruson, which relationship has since been maintained. In 1893 they
removed to their present location at No. 1301 Washington avenue, South, and at
the same time they also opened an undertaking establishment. They have built up
a large business in both connections, owing to their capable management and
strict integrity, and rank with the leading merchants of Minneapolis. Mr. Moe is
one of the pioneer business men of the city and attributes much of his success
to the efforts of Mr. Wales and his daughter, who were very kind to him when he
was much in need of friends and introduced him to many of the leading families
here.
On the 21st of January, 1882, Mr. Moe was united in marriage to Miss Anna
Peterson, a native of Norway, to whom he was engaged before coming to the United
States. six children have been born to them, but Jennie, the eldest, is
deceased. Those who survive are: Arne, assistant cashier at the Lincoln National
Bank of Minneapolis; Oliver, city salesman for the firm of Mayer, Parson &
Company; Ranghill, who married Joseph Strate; Thora, the wife of Charles Theili;
and Esther, who is a musician.
Mr. Moe is a stalwart champion of everything pertaining to the interests and
upbuilding of his city and is one of the directors of Fairview Hospital. As a
member of the building committee he was instrumental in securing the erection of
the present fine hospital and he also had charge of the building of the
Lyngblamsten Home for the Aged. With deep love for his native land, he possesses
a still stronger attachment for the country of his adoption and is thoroughly
American in thought, spirit and interests. He is a self-made man who has
depended upon his own resources for a livelihood from a very early age. Earnest
effort is the basis of his advancement and his diligence and determination have
enabled him to surmount all difficulties and obstacles in his path and climb
steadily forward to the plane of affluence. The strength that he manifests in
business circles has its root in upright, honorable manhood, win­ning for him
the unqualified regard of all with whom he has been associated.