Martin L. Tolvstad Biography This biography appears on pages 1000-1001 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm MARTIN L. TOLVSTAD. Martin L. Tolvstad owns a farm of six hundred and forty acres situated on sections 1, 6, 12 and 19, La Prairie township, Spink county, and is recognized throughout his locality as an able and up-to- date agriculturist. He came to South Dakota in the fall of 1880. a number of years before the admission of the state into the Union, and in the intervening thirty five years has witnessed an almost magical transformation in the country It was then a wilderness and the Indians were still feared by the comparatively few white settlers who had begun the work of transforming the wild prairies into a highly developed agricultural section. Mr. Tolvstad was born in Ringsaker, Hedemarken, Norway, on the 11th of July, 1859, a son of Lars and Elie Tolvstad. When he was two years of age his father came with his family to this country and settled in Wisconsin, where he rented a farm. In 1882 he came to South Dakota and filed on the land which his son Martin L. now owns. He passed away in 1891, at the age of seventy-five years, and three years later his wife was called to rest at the age of sixty-six years. Both are buried in Bethany cemetery in La Prairie township. artin L. Tolvstad received his education in the district schools of Trempealeau county, Wisconsin, but put aside his textbooks when but fourteen years of age. He then assisted his father ill the work of the farm until 1880 when he came to South Dakota and filed on a preemption claim near the present town of Stratford, Brown county. This he sold in 1883 and then filed on the homestead where he now makes his home. He later bought additional land and now owns in all six hundred and forty acres, which he has mainly devoted to the raising of grain, although he is gradually giving more attention to the raising of stock as well. The land is in a high state of cultivation and the buildings and fences are kept in excellent repair. The house, which is a commodious structure, is rendered especially attractive by a beautiful grove which surrounds it. Mr. Tolvstad has proved himself a man of sound business judgment and of untiring industry a: d the material success which he has achieved and the esteem of many friends are but the merited reward of his life of usefulness. In La Prairie township, December 4, 1893, Mr. Tolvstad married Miss Gertrude Kittlesland, a daughter of Ole and Luv Kittlesland The former died in Norway, but his wife, who emigrated to America with her children after the death of her husband, survived him until 1912 and is buried in the Bethany cemetery in La Prairie township, Spink county. Mr. and Mrs. Tolvstad have three children: Ella, who attended the high school of Brentford and the Normal School; Harry and Frank, who are assisting their father in the work of the farm. Mr. Tolvstad votes for men and measures rather than for party and takes an active part in local public affairs. He has held several township offices and in 1892 was elected clerk of the town, serving with ability in that position. He was appointed eighteen months after that term expired and was reelected on the expiration of his appointment and still holds the office. He also served for years either as clerk or treasurer of the school board and is now holding the latter position. Fraternally he belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He has done much to aid in the agricultural development of Spink county and the esteem in which he is held is justly merited. He has built one of the finest country residences in that county and it is the meeting place for his many friends.