John A. Thronson Biography


	This biography appears on page 1525 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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	JOHN A. THRONSON is a native of Norway. where he was born on 
Christmas day 1857, being a son of Andrew and Aguette Thompson, both of 
whom live with their daughter, Mrs. E. O. Eggen, near Toronto, Deuel 
county, South Dakota. They emigrated from Norway to America in the 
spring of 1859 and located in LaCrosse county, Wisconsin, in which state 
Mr. Thronson was engaged in agricultural pursuits for many years, 
meeting with success in reward of his untiring industry. He is a 
Republican in politics and both he and his wife are devoted members of 
the Lutheran church. 

	The subject of this sketch was a child of about two years at the 
time of his parents' immigration to America, and he was reared to 
manhood in La Crosse and Trempealeau counties, Wisconsin, where he duly 
availed himself of the advantages afforded by the public schools. He 
there continued to assist his father in the work of the homestead farm 
until he had attained his legal majority, when he set forth to seek his 
fortunes in the west, arriving in Deuel county, South Dakota, on the 7th 
of December, 1878. For the first year he was employed in a general store 
at Gary, and he then took up one hundred and sixty acres of government 
land near the present village of Toronto, this county, and was there 
engaged in farming until the summer of 1885. He still owns this 
property, having developed the same into one of the valuable farms of 
the county. At the time noted he became county auditor of Deuel county, 
the territorial legislature having created the office during its session 
in the preceding winter, and he continued in tenure of this position 
until March, 1893, by successive elections, having thus served under 
both the territorial and state regimes. In March, 1892, upon the 
organization of the Farmers' State Bank of Clear Lake, Mr. Thronson was 
chosen cashier of the same. In 1902 the institution was reorganized as 
the First National Bank and he was retained in the office of cashier, of 
which he is incumbent at the present time. 

	Mr. Thronson is known as a progressive and public-spirited 
citizen, and has ever stood ready to lend his aid and influence in 
support of all worthy measures advanced for the general good, while in 
politics he is an uncompromising Republican. Both he and his wife are 
active and valued members of the Lutheran church. 

	On the 26th of June, 1891, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. 
Thronson to Miss Clara J. Peterson, who was born in Clayton county Iowa. 
being a daughter of Thomas C. and Rachel Peterson, who are now living at 
Brandt, Deuel county, South Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Thronson have one 
daughter, Norma.