Anton Anfinson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 829-830 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				ANTON ANFINSON. 

	Anton Anfinson, a well known contractor and builder of Wakonda, 
was born in Clay county in 1868, a son of John and Maret Anfinson, both 
natives of Norway. They removed to the United States in their youth and 
settled in Wisconsin, where their marriage occurred. In 1867 they came 
to South Dakota and located in Clay county, where the father took up 
government land in Norway township near the Missouri river. He made 
that farm his home until his death, which occurred in 1872. His widow 
subsequently married again but passed away in 1875. There were four 
children by her first marriage, of whom the subject of this review is 
the eldest, the others being: Martin, a farmer of Nebraska; Georgie, 
the wife of Henry Hanson, who resides in northwestern South Dakota; and 
John, who died in Nebraska when twelve years of age. To the second 
union was born a daughter, Anna, now the wife of Alva Lawton, of 
Vermillion. 

	Anton Anfinson received his early education in the country 
schools of Clay county and after the death of his parents was taken 
into the home of an aunt, Guri Lorenson, who cared for all of the 
children until her death, in 1880. He and his brothers and sisters then 
lived with an uncle until they reached mature years. After attaining 
his majority Mr. Anfinson spent six years at farm work and also learned 
the carpenter's trade. At the end of that time he and his brother 
Martin purchased eighty acres of school land in Clay county, which they 
cultivated for three years, after which they rented it. He has since 
devoted his time and energy to carpentering and contracting. He builds 
brick as well as frame buildings and also does all kinds of cement 
work. He has erected many of the fine houses and barns in Clay county 
and has built practically all of the new buildings in Wakonda in the 
last seven years. He is an expert workman himself and demands thorough 
work from all those in his employ. He is scrupulous in living up to his 
contracts and has gained an enviable reputation in Clay county. During 
the last seven years he has lived at Wakonda and owns considerable 
property there, including his residence and a carpenter shop and mill. 

	Mr. Anfinson is a republican and, although no seeker for official 
preferment, is serving as trustee of Wakonda. His fraternal relations 
are with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 

	In 1902 Mr. Anfinson was married to Miss Alice C. Lindgren, who 
was born in Chicago, a daughter of Amund and Alice Lindgren. She is a 
highly educated woman, having attended college in Yankton. To Mr. and 
Mrs. Anfinson three children have been born: Margaret, whose birth 
occurred in 1903 and who is attending school; Lorens, born in 1908; and 
Fay, whose birth occurred in 1913. The family belong to the 
Congregational church and the sincerity of their religious faith is 
seen in their daily dives, which are upright and marked with the spirit 
of brotherly helpfulness.