Meeker County MN Archives Biographies.....Ness, Ole Halverson 1824 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 December 22, 2019, 11:12 am

Source: Alden, Ogle & Co.
Author: See Below

   OLE HALVERSON NESS is one of the most prominent old settlers of Meeker county. He
was born in Hullingdal, Norway, October 6,1824, and is a son of Halver Munson and
Ingeber Ness. His father served for thirty-six years in the Norwegian army, and Ole
H. saw six years’ service in the same army, with the rank of sergeant. In 1846 he
was married to Margaret Christian, a daughter of Christian Knudson, who was born in
1821. One week after his marriage Mr. Ness embarked for America with his parents,
and settled in Rock county, Wis. In 1856 he sold his farm there and came to Meeker
county, Minn., his family being one of the three original families who settled in
Litchfield township. The party came through by “prairie-schooner  conveyance, and
were charmed with the delightful scenery of Minnesota in June. During the summer the
family lived in “camp-life style” on the land where Ole H. had taken up his claim,
and in the fall he completed one of the first cabins erected in the township, and
moved into it.

   After experiencing the hardships and trials incident to pioneer life, he had just
begun to get a foothold in the wilderness, and was looking forward to the brighter
days of civilization, when the outbreak of the Sioux Indians came. Bred in the
school of the intrepid Norwegian soldiery, Mr. Ness did not for a moment quail or
hesitate before the onslaught of the savage redskins, but sprang to the defense of
his home and fireside. On the night of the shedding of the first blood, a few miles
from his own door, he was one of the few who dared to go to the scene of the
slaughter in the darkness, and who, after finding the bodies of the five slain
persons, stood faithful watch until they were buried. Then O. H. Ness went home,
and, although the whole populace seemed to be on wheels to get out of the way of the
savages, he remained at home with his family until Saturday following the massacre
at Acton, when he took them to Forest City. His horses being pressed into service,
he spent a few days at Kingston and then returned to Forest City, and superintended
the building of fortifications there. His family occupied apartments over the
postoffice at the time of the Indian attack, and he first discovered it while going
out to change the guard, and had just time to arouse the people and get them into
the fortress. After remaining at Forest City until the latter part of December,
1862, Mr. Ness removed his family to the farm and kept them there during the entire
winter— the only case of the kind in the whole county. The Indians destroyed fully
$2,000 worth of property for him.

   Mr. Ness’ first marriage was blessed with eleven children, whose names are as
follows — Sarah, Halver O., Christian, Margaret, Martin O., Lina, Caroline and Karl.
Margaret is married to Abt Mattson, Lina to Paul P. Olson, and Caroline to George
Beach. The first wife died in August, 1877.

   Mr. Ness has retired from all active participation in business affairs, and is
now pleasantly passing the evening of his life with his second wife. All his
children have grown up about him, and are comfortably settled in life.


Additional Comments:
Illustrated Album of Biography
Meeker and McLeod Counties, Minnesota
1888


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