Thomas H. Fersdal Biography


	This biography appears on page 791 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				THOMAS H. FERSDAL.  

	Thomas H. Fersdal, residing on section 32, Sverdrup township, 
Minnehaha county, successfully operates a good farm of two hundred 
acres, one hundred and sixty of which is in his name, while forty acres 
belong to his wife. His birth occurred in Norway on the 13th of 
February, 1858, and his parents were Henrik and Mary (Kvernmoe) 
Fersdal. The mother passed away in Norway, but the father still lives 
in his native land.  

	Our subject was educated in the public schools of that country, 
but in 1880, when a young man of twenty-two he left his home and kin 
and crossed the Atlantic to the new world, locating in Goodhue county, 
Minnesota, although he remained there but a few months. In December of 
the same year he came to South Dakota and joined an uncle, J. J. 
Kvernmoe, who was a resident of Minnehaha county and had homesteaded 
the farm which Mr. Fersdal now owns. As he had no children of his own, 
he gave the farm to our subject with the understanding that he and his 
wife should be taken care of during the remaining years of their lives. 
They both passed away in 1886 and the farm then came into the 
possession of Mr. Fersdal, who has devoted his time to its cultivation. 
As he uses scientific methods and applies business principles to the 
business phase of farming, he has prospered and is now one of the 
substantial agriculturists of the county.  

	On the 20th of November, 1888, Mr. Fersdal was united in marriage 
to Miss Berthine John Thompson, who was the first white child born in 
Minnehaha county. Her father, the Hon. John Thompson, was one of the 
leaders among the pioneers and a sketch of his life appears in another 
part of this work. Mr. and Mrs. Fersdal are the parents of seven 
children, six of whom survive as follows: Henry J., Christine M., Laura 
L., Tillie B., John S. and Gustav A., all of whom are at home. The 
family are members of the Lutheran synod and are much interested in the 
work of that organization. Mr. Fersdal is a republican in his political 
belief and is ever ready to aid in the furtherance of any project for 
the development of his county.