Mathias Pedersen Biography


	This biography appears on pages 721-722 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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				MATHIAS PEDERSEN. 

	Mathias Pedersen, who is living retired in Volin, dates his 
residence in Yankton from 1879. He arrived at his destination on the 3d 
of July of that year in time to witness the celebration of the nation's 
birthday which was held in true western style. He came direct from 
Norway, having sailed from Christiania to Quebec on a steamer of the 
Allan line. He was born November 24, 1860, near Gjavik, Norway, a 
village on Lake Mjosen, twelve miles from Christiania. Five years after 
he came to the new world his parents also sailed for the United States, 
arriving in Dakota in 1884. After living for a time in this state they 
went to Cedar county, Nebraska. The father acquired a fine farm and 
there passed away. The mother is now living in Hartington, Nebraska. 
Five children besides our subject, two sons and three daughters, also 
settled in Nebraska and South Dakota. 

	Mathias Pedersen was a youth of eighteen years when he became a 
resident of South Dakota. He first worked on the farm of John Aaseth 
for two years and was on the river for two summers, in 1881 and 1882. 
During the never to be forgotten flood of 1881 he was a member of the 
party that recovered the body of Joseph Inch, who was drowned at that 
time. It was due to the fact that the flood of that spring washed out 
the railroads between Yankton and Sioux City that the river traffic was 
revived and Mr. Pedersen worked on the boat called the Nellie Peck 
between Sioux City and Fort Benton. He was also employed on the Key 
West, plying up the Yellowstone as far as Biscuit Landing. He made a 
similar trip the second summer, going, however, as far as Glendye, 
Montana. Wishing to become actively connected with agricultural 
interests, he filed on a homestead five miles north of Volin and began 
farming. He bought additional land and thus extended the boundaries of 
his farm from time to time until he had acquired four hundred acres of 
as fine land as is to be found in South Dakota. Year after year he 
carefully tilled his fields, bringing his land to a high state of 
cultivation and gathering therefrom good crops as the reward for his 
care and labor. There he resided until 1914, when he retired and 
removed to Volin, where he is now enjoying a rest that he has truly 
earned and richly deserves. 

	In 1884 Mr. Pedersen was united in marriage to Miss Mary Sater, a 
daughter of Haldo Sater, a native of Norway and now one of the well-to-
do farmers of Yankton county, living north of Volin. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Pedersen have been born three children: Louisa, the wife of Matt 
Berntson, a blacksmith of Volin; Herman, who is occupying the home 
farm; and Inga, who is acting as her brother's housekeeper on the farm. 

	Mr. and Mrs. Pedersen are now pleasantly located in Volin, 
occupying a comfortable home, while the fruits of their former toil 
supply them with the necessities and some of the luxuries of life. They 
are consistent and faithful members of the Lutheran church and in his 
political belief Mr. Pedersen is a republican, staunchly supporting the 
principles of the party, yet never seeking nor desiring office, as he 
has always preferred to give his attention to his business affairs, 
whereby he has won a substantial measure of success.