Torkel Hansen Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1538-1539 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	TORKEL HANSEN, one of the prosperous farmers and stock growers of 
Lake county, is a native of Norway, where he was born on the 23d of May, 
1838, being a son of Hans and Sarah (Larson) Turkelson, who emigrated 
from the far Norseland to America in 1858 and took up their residence in 
Clayton county, Iowa, in which state they passed the remainder of their 
lives, the father having become a successful farmer and having been one 
of the honored pioneers of the Hawkeye commonwealth. The subject was 
reared to maturity in his native land, in whose excellent schools he 
received his early educational training, while he was about twenty years 
of age at the time of accompanying his parents on their immigration to 
the new world. He continued to be identified with agricultural pursuits 
in Iowa until 1878, in June of which year he came to the present state 
of South Dakota and took up pre-emption and timber claims in Lake 
county, where he has ever since maintained his home. He still owns his 
original claims, to which he has added until he now has a well-improved 
estate of four hundred and forty acres, of which three hundred and fifty 
are under cultivation, while he has been successful in the raising of 
live stock in connection with the agricultural operation of his fine 
farm. Upon locating on his claim he built a primitive sod house of the 
type so common in the early days,. and in the next year constructed a 
somewhat better shanty of lumber utilizing sod for filling in the 
cracks, while about three years later he erected a comfortable house, 
which is a portion of his present commodious and attractive farm 
residence, which was erected at a cost of about two thousand and five 
hundred dollars. In 1895 he built his substantial barn, which is fifty-
four by seventy feet in dimensions. He has made other excellent 
improvements on his ranch, and the well-matured trees which grace the 
same were planted by him. 

	Mr. Hansen has ever been faithful to the duties of citizenship 
and has given his aid and influence in support of all measures for the 
material, moral and civic advancement of the community, while in 
politics he is a staunch advocate of the principles of the Republican 
party. He has served as an official of his school district, and has the 
unqualified confidence and esteem of all who know him. He and his wife 
are consistent and zealous members of the Lutheran church. 

	On the 15th of February, 1867, Mr. Hansen was united in marriage 
to Miss Julia Hansen, and they have ten children, whose names, with 
respective years of birth, are here entered: Sarah, 1868; Lizzia, 1870; 
Margit, 1871; Hannah H., 1873; Bertha G., 1875; Hans, 1878; Otilda, 
1881; Henry, 1883; Albert, 1887, and George, 1890.