Bio of Erik LAGESON (b.1840), Yellow Medicine Co., MN

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ERIK LAGESON (1872)

Erik Lageson who now makes his home in Montevideo, Minnesota, is one of the
old time residents of Yellow Medicine county, having located in Lisbon
township in the late fall of 1872.

Mr. Lageson was bon in Christiania stift, Arkershus amt, Norway, October 10,
1840.  His parents were Lage and Kari Larson.  The father was a teacher for
many years and later a blacksmith.  He died in Norway in 1874.  The mother
died in Yellow Medicine county in 1883.

Erik Lageson lived in Norway until 1870, working for his father on the farm
and in a blacksmith and wagon shop.  He came to the United States in 1870
and located at Osage, Iowa, where he lived nearly three years, working for
farmers and at his trade.  In December, 1872, he came to Yellow Medicine
county, via Benson, walking from that place.  He stayed with Iver Larson, in
Lisbon township, until the next spring, when he took the northeast quarter
of section 5, Lisbon township, as pre-emption claim.   Mr. Lageson built a
14 x 16 log house, getting the logs from the Minnesota River.  He starting
farming the place, but for some years worked out here and in is old home in
Iowa.  He made his home on the Lisbon farm forty years, retiring and moving
to Montevideo in 1913.  His sons now run the farm.

When Mr. Lageson left Iowa for Yellow Medicine county he had just $427, and
he arrived in the county with about $400, and no personal property.  He lost
his crops in 1876 and 1877 by grasshoppers, and in 1879 a prairie fire
burned everything he had except the house--including hay and grain and three
calves which were in the stable.  He was out in the famous blizzard of
January 7, 1873, but got home safely.  He is a member of the Norwegian
Lutheran Church.

Mr. Lageson was married in November, 1876, in Yellow Medicine county, to
Josephine Borgerson, who was born in Norway April 5, 1846, and came to the
United States in 1869.  They have the following children:  Mary (Mrs. John
Cornelius), of Clay county, Minnesota; Dina (Mrs. Hans Fragodt), of Swift
county, Minnesota; Tilla (Mrs. Ole Lofthus), of Winthrop, Minnesota; Peter,
of Swift county; Carolina (Mrs. Peter Strand), of Lac qui Parle county;
Lizzie (Mrs. Oluf Molstad), of Lisbon township; Bernard, Hjalmar and Olaf,
who farm the home place; Edwin of Dancer, Swift county.

Source: A History of Yellow Medicine County by Arthur P. Rose. Published
1914