Ole T. Nessan Biography


	This biography appears on pages 63-64 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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				OLE T. NESSAN. 

	Ole T. Nessan is now busily engaged in general farming, his home 
being in Mapleton township, where he is cultivating the farm upon which 
his father settled upon his arrival in South Dakota. It was upon this 
farm that Ole T. Nessan was born on the 15th of November, 1873, his 
parents being Tosten and Ingeberg Nessan. On leaving his native land of 
Norway Tosten Nessan crossed the Atlantic and established his home in 
Minnesota, where he resided for three years. On the expiration of that 
period he came to South Dakota in 1870 and secured a homestead claim on 
section 4, township 102, range 49, which he at once began to cultivate 
and develop, transforming it into rich fields. He added to the place 
until within its boundaries it comprised two hundred and forty acres, 
and his son Ole T. Nessan has purchased another tract of eighty acres, 
so that the farm today comprises three hundred and twenty acres of rich 
and productive land. The parents crossed the ocean in a sailing vessel 
which was forty-nine days in completing the voyage. It was a hope of 
improving his financial condition that led the father to come to the 
new world and as the years have passed by he has lived to see the 
fulfillment of his hope. For a while he was forced to endure the 
hardships and privations of pioneer life in South Dakota but he 
continued his efforts year after year until a substantial return 
rewarded his labors. When he proved up his claim he had to walk to 
Vermillion to secure title to his property. Both he and his wife are 
now living and he has reached the age of seventy-six years, while she 
is seventy years old. They have five living children, all of whom are 
in South Dakota, and two have passed away. 

	On the old homestead farm Ole T. Nessan spent his youthful days 
and the public schools of the county afforded him his educational 
opportunities. He was early trained to farm work, becoming familiar 
with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. 
When not in the schoolroom he worked in the fields and after his 
education was completed he concentrated his energies entirely upon farm 
work. At the present time he is actively engaged in the further 
development of the old homestead, relieving his father of further labor 
in this direction, so that Tosten Nessan is now living retired. The 
present highly cultivated appearance of the place is due to the son, 
who is progressive in all his methods and so practical in all that he 
undertakes that his work is well managed and a substantial annual 
return is his. In addition to his other interests Mr. Nessan is vice 
president of the Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company of Baltic and is 
a stockholder of the Farmers Lumber Company, also of Baltic. Stock-
raising is an important feature of his farm and he now has forty head 
of cattle and sixty head of hogs upon his place. He has the latest 
improved machinery to facilitate farm work and his crops show that he 
thoroughly understands scientific methods of tilling the soil. 

	On the 18th of April, 1893, Mr. Nessan was married to Miss Lena 
Oyan, a daughter of Jens and Mary Oyan. Three children have been born 
of this union, Inez Madaline, Johnnie Teller and Lilly Judella. The 
parents hold membership in the Lutheran church and are interested in 
all that pertains to the moral progress of the community. Mr. Nessan 
votes with the republican party and keeps in touch with the leading 
questions and vital issues of the day, so that he is able to support 
his position by intelligent argument. He belongs to the Modern 
Brotherhood of America. He has been township treasurer for thirteen 
years and is still the incumbent in that office and was formerly for-
five years treasurer of the school district. He stands for all that 
means advancement and improvement for the individual and for the 
community and he is a splendid representative of that class of 
progressive Norwegian farmers who have been instrumental in developing 
the northwest. He has always lived in this county and that his life has 
been well spent is indicated in the fact that many of the acquaintances 
of his youth are today numbered among his stanchest friends.