Torge Thompson Biography

	This biography appears on page 740 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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	TORGE THOMPSON. - From the land of the midnight sun Torge 
Thompson came to America. He was born in Norway, February 27, 1863, and 
is a son of Thomas A. and Segri Thompson, who were also natives of that 
country. In 1869 the father came to the United States with his family, 
making his way into the interior of the country and settling in Clay 
county, South Dakota, where he secured one hundred and sixty acres of 
government land. The first home of the family was a log cabin in which 
they lived in true pioneer style. The work of farming was carried on 
until the old homestead was placed under a high state of cultivation 
and good buildings erected. In the flood of 1881 the father suffered a 
loss of two thousand dollars, but he possessed a resolute spirit and 
courage and with characteristic diligence set to work to retrieve his 
possessions. He has been a successful man and one who owes his 
financial advancement entirely to his own efforts. In politics he is a 
Republican and both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. 
Their family numbers six children, of whom Torge is the eldest; Anna is 
the wife of L. A. Larson, a farmer of Clay county, South Dakota, who 
served as postmaster at Lincoln for several years and who has a family 
of nine children; Lewis, Sarah and Thomas Verner are now deceased; 
Severin Lewis married Dina Steie, and is a professor in the Lutheran 
College of Decorah, Iowa, and they have one child.  

	Mr. Thompson of this review acquired his education in the public 
schools and in the University of South Dakota, at Vermilion, where he 
was only allowed to pursue his studies for several winter terms. When 
twenty years of age he took charge of the home farm. His mother died in 
1895, and his father died January 6, 1904. In 1900 he bought six 
hundred and forty acres of land in Yankton county and in 1901 he sold 
the farm in Clay county, taking up his abode at his new home. He has a 
splendidly improved property, has erected a fine residence, has rebuilt 
the barns and has artesian wells, several good springs and two miles 
river front upon his land. He carries on mixed farming and has four 
hundred acres of his land under the plow, while thirty acres is planted 
to, alfalfa, forty acres is meadow land, thirty acres is covered with 
good oak timber and three acres are covered with fruit trees. In 
addition to the cultivation of grain he raises horses, cattle, sheep 
and Poland-China hogs and is recognized as one of the most active, 
practical and energetic young farmers of his community.  

	On the 12th of June, 1889, Mr. Thompson was married to Bertha 
Brake, a daughter of Andrew Nelson. Her father was a tailor by trade, 
as was Mr. Thompson's father. Unto the subject and his wife have been 
born five children: Sarah Maria, born March 6, 1890; Thomas Anders, 
born April 9, 1892; Torge Barthol. born September 17, 1894; Lewis 
Verner, born October 4, 1896; and Arthur Oliver, born January 8, 1903.  

	The parents hold membership in the Lutheran church and Mr. 
Thompson is deeply interested in the educational and moral development 
of his locality. He has served as school officer for several terms and 
in politics he is a Republican. Well known in Yankton county, his 
friends accord him a high position as a representative farmer and as 
one who is entirely worthy of public confidence and respect.