T. T. Omdalen Biography


	This biography appears on pages 254, 255 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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				T. T. OMDALEN. 

	T. T. Omdalen, now living in honorable retirement at Hetland, is 
a representative of one of the oldest pioneer families of the locality 
and was for more than a third of a century actively and successfully 
identified with agricultural interests here, still owning eight hundred 
acres of valuable land. His birth occurred in Norway on the 5th of 
November, 1842, his parents being T. T. and Tina O. Omdalen, whom he 
accompanied on their emigration to the United States in 1871. During 
the first seven years of their residence in the new world the family 
lived in Wisconsin and then, in 1878, came to South Dakota. The father 
homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 1, township 54, range 110, 
Kingsbury county but died the year following his arrival in this state. 
The mother, surviving him for more than a quarter of a century, was 
called to her final rest in 1906. 

	T. T. Omdalen acquired his education in the schools of his native 
land and was a young man of about twenty-nine when he came to America. 
On arriving in South Dakota he preempted the southeast quarter of 
section 1 and a tree claim and also homesteaded the northwest quarter 
of section 12, township 54, range 110, Kingsbury county. Here he 
devoted his attention to farming with great success for over a third of 
a century or until the time of his retirement in 1914, when he took up 
his abode in Hetland, turning over the active work of the fields to his 
sons. Mr. Omdalen now owns eight hundred acres of rich and productive 
land and is widely recognized as one of the prosperous citizens and 
esteemed early settlers of the community. He enjoys the distinction of 
having raised the first colt in Kingsbury county, and he is a 
stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company. 

	As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life Mr. Omdalen 
chose Miss Julia Thorgenson, by whom he has the following children: T. 
T. T.; Thomas Edward; Olovis; and Oscar, who was the first child born 
in Kingsbury county. 

	Mr. Omdalen gives his political allegiance to the republican 
party and has ably served as a member of the school board, being a 
stanch friend of the cause of education. His religious faith is that of 
the Lutheran church and he exemplifies its teachings in his daily life. 
The hope that led him to establish his home in the new world has been 
more than realized, for here he found the opportunities which he sought 
and in their wise utilization won a place among the substantial and 
respected citizens of his community. He has witnessed the growth and 
development of South Dakota in the past thirty-seven years and is 
therefore largely familiar with its annals from pioneer times down to 
the present.