James Solberg Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1594-1595 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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	JAMES SOLBERG, president of the Merchants' Exchange Bank of Lake 
Preston, is a native of Norway, where his birth occurred on February 17, 
1852. His parents, Peter and Georgiana Solberg, also of Norwegian birth, 
came to America in 1853, and located at Buffalo, New York, moving from 
there to London, Ontario, and later to Winona, Minnesota, where the 
father followed his trade of shoemaking until 1876, when he moved to Le 
Seuer county, Minnesota, and engaged in farming. He departed this life 
in the latter state, July 2, 1903, leaving to mourn his loss a widow and 
six children, the former still on the home farm in the county of Le 
Seuer. 

	Until thirteen years of age the subject of this review spent the 
greater part of his life in London, Canada, and received his preliminary 
education in the schools of that place. He remained with his parents 
until about the age of twenty-two and then went to Chicago, Illinois, 
where he spent two years as clerk in a boot and shoe house. Resigning 
his position at the expiration of the time noted, he went to St. Paul, 
Minnesota, and during the ensuing two years represented the interests of 
the Schaffer & Rossum Saddlery Hardware Company, of that city, as a 
traveling salesman. Severing his connection with this firm, Mr. Solberg 
embarked in merchandising at Lake Crystal, Minnesota, and after spending 
nine prosperous years in that town, disposed of his business and in the 
spring of 1893 came to South Dakota and purchased an interest in the 
Merchants' Exchange Bank of Lake Preston, with the career of which 
institution he has since been identified. Mr. Solberg served the bank 
several years as vice-president, but in 1900 was elected president and 
in the latter capacity he still continues, filling the position in an 
able and satisfactory manner and by his energy and progressive business 
methods adding greatly to the prestige and influence of the institution. 
As a financier he is familiar with monetary questions, and their 
relation to commercial and industrial life, and occupies a prominent 
place among his compeers. In connection with banking he deals quite 
extensively in real estate, and now owns a large body of fine land in 
Kingsbury county, also a beautiful residence property in the town of 
Lake Preston, in addition to his financial interests represented by the 
bank of which he is chief executive. 

	On January 16, 1879, Mr. Solberg was united in marriage with Miss 
Carrie I. Gutterson, of Winona county, Minnesota, the daughter of Egel 
and Magla Gutterson, natives of Norway, the union being terminated by 
the death of the loving and faithful wife on the 17th day of March, 
1901. 

	Fraternally Mr. Solberg is a member of the Masonic brotherhood, 
belonging to the blue lodge at Lake Preston, the chapter at Arlington 
and the commandery at Brookings. He is also identified with the Eastern 
Star lodge, of which his wife was a charter member and the first matron, 
and his name has long adorned the records of the Ancient Order of United 
Workmen in the place where he resides. In politics he always has been 
staunchly Republican, and stood firmly by the party during all of its 
trials, caused by the wave of Populism, which a few years ago spread 
throughout the entire west.