Soren Mikkelson Biography


	This biography appears on page 777 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	SOREN MIKKELSON. - With the agricultural interests of Yankton 
county, South Dakota, this gentleman has been actively identified since 
his youth and he is today regarded as one of the most progressive and 
enterprising farmers of his locality. Like many of the leading citizens 
of this state, he was born in Denmark, his birth occurring on the 14th 
of February, 1865. His parents, Ole and Karen Mikkelson, were also 
natives of that country, whence they emigrated to America in 1875, 
first locating in Illinois, where the father worked for two years. In 
1878 he brought his family to South Dakota and here made his home until 
two months before his death, when he returned to Denmark, dying there 
in July, 1902. His wife had departed this life the year previous.  

	Amid frontier scenes Soren Mikkelson grew to manhood, early 
acquiring an excellent knowledge of farm work in all its various 
departments. He is now the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of 
good land, eighty acres of which is under cultivation, and for the past 
seven years he has devoted his attention to dairy farming. He feeds all 
that his farm produces to his stock and raises from seventy to one 
hundred head of hogs per year.  

	In 1890 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Mikkelson and Miss 
Kitty Stockland, who is a native of Haugesund, Norway, born in 1871, 
and to them have been born six children: Ole, Jennie, Walter C., Alma, 
Roy and Herman. The family have a pleasant home erected in 1900, and 
the barn upon the farm was built in 1898. Mr. and Mrs. Mikkelson hold 
membership in the Lutheran church and he is a supporter of the 
Republican party and its principles. He takes a deep interest in 
educational affairs and at present is capably serving as chairman of 
the school board in his district. He is at present chairman of the 
school board, vice-president of the Lundquist Mercantile Company, which 
was established in 1893 and incorporated in 1903, and he is also a 
director of the Irene Creamery, and is supervisor of Turkey Valley 
township. To all enterprises which he believes calculated to prove of 
public benefit he gives an earnest support and he is accounted one of 
the most progressive and public-spirited citizens of his community.  

	Mrs. Mikkelson's father, C. C. Stockland, was for thirty years a 
prominent business man in Haugesund, Norway, and in 1887 brought his 
wife and six children to America. He died in 1895, while his widow 
passed away in 1902, their farm passing into the possession of their 
only son, C. Stockland.