Oliver Munson Biography


	This biography appears on page 14 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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				OLIVER MUNSON. 

	Oliver Munson, one of the prominent and well known citizen) of 
Minnehaha county, where he has resided for four decades, now makes his 
home on section 23, Sioux Falls township, and is successfully engaged 
in business as a farmer and dairyman. His birth occurred in northern 
Sweden on the 29th of July, 1851, his parents being Peter and Julia A. 
(Jenson) Munson. They emigrated to the United States in 1867 and first 
located in McKean county, Pennsylvania, while subsequently they took up 
their abode in Iowa. In 1872 or 1873 they came to South Dakota, taking 
up a homestead claim on sections 28 and 33, Split Rock township, 
Minnehaha county, where Peter Munson spent the remainder of his life. 
His wife survived him for one year. They had four children: El]a, 
deceased; Oliver; Hannah; and Magnus. 

	Oliver Munson was reared at home and acquired a limited education 
in the common schools of his native land. On coming to this country he 
found employment in the lumber woods in Pennsylvania. In the fall of 
1875, when a young man of twenty-four years, he came to South Dakota 
and homesteaded a quarter section of land on section 19, Split Rock 
township, Minnehaha county, where he resided for twenty-six years. On 
the expiration of that period, in 1902, he purchased his present home 
place in Sioux Falls township, where he has remained continuously 
since. He devotes his attention to the pursuits of farming and dairying 
and in both branches of his business has met with success. 

	On the 21st of August, 1873, Mr. Munson was united in marriage to 
Miss Kate Blom, who was born in Sweden and in 1871 crossed the Atlantic 
to the United States, locating in Kane, Pennsylvania. To our subject 
and his wife have been born three children, as follows: Edgar William, 
who is a resident of Watertown, South Dakota; Eleanora, deceased; and 
Anna, who gave her hand in marriage to Richard E. Brooks, of Sioux 
Falls, South Dakota. 

	In his political views Mr. Munson is a stanch republican. He has 
served as a member of the town board and also on the school board in 
both Split Rock and Sioux Falls townships, ever discharging his public 
duties in a highly satisfactory and commendable manner. His religious 
faith is indicated by his membership in the Swedish Lutheran church, to 
which his wife also belongs. He has always shown great interest in all 
that pertains to the general welfare and has been known as a public-
spirited man who has ever found time and inclination to cooperate in 
movements for the general good. In all the relations of life he has 
been honorable and straightforward, and his example is well worthy of 
emulation.