Erick J. Oyan Biography


	This biography appears on pages 832-835 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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				ERICK J. OYAN. 

	Erick J. Oyan is the manager of the Farmers Elevator Company and 
the Baltic Creamery Company at Baltic and as such is an active factor 
in the business circles of his town and county. He was born in Norway 
on the 13th of February, 1874, and is a son of Jens E. and Mary Oyan, 
who in the year 1881 brought their family to the United States. They 
made their way at once into the interior of the country and, like many 
of Norway's sons, sought a location in the northwest, establishing 
their home upon a farm near Baltic. Both the father and mother are 
still living. 

	Erick J. Oyan was a little lad of but seven summers when brought 
by his parents to the new world. He pursued his education in the public 
schools of Baltic and then left school to assist his father on the 
farm. He afterward became connected with the lumber trade as an 
employee of L. J. Questad, in whose service he remained for a 
considerable period, but for the past sixteen years he has occupied his 
present position as manager of the Farmers Elevator Company and for 
about fourteen years has also been manager of the Baltic Creamery 
Company. Under his able direction the two concerns have prospered and 
today the elevator returns two hundred and fifty thousand dollars 
annually and the creamery about fifty thousand dollars. Mr. Oyan 
displays splendid ability as manager in directing the immense volume of 
business now under his care. It has largely been due to his efforts 
that the patronage of the two companies has increased to such an 
extent. The elevator and the creamery offer an excellent market to 
producers in this section of the country and the sales of the products 
handled net a splendid return for the stockholders. Mr. Oyan is 
watchful of every detail pointing to success, is thoroughly acquainted 
with the trade in every particular and his work is carried forward with 
a determination and energy that leaves no doubt as to the result. As 
the years have passed he has won a fair measure of prosperity and is 
now a stockholder in and the secretary and manager of the Farmers 
Creamery, also a stockholder and secretary of the Farmers Lumber 
Company; and a large stockholder in the elevator company and the 
creamery company. 

	On the 15th of November, 1902, Mr. Oyan was married to Miss Etta 
M. Lee, a daughter of O. H. and Mary Lee, the former of whom has passed 
away. He homesteaded land in Sverdrup township, upon which his widow 
still dives. To Mr. and Mrs. Oyan have been born five children: Olive 
Marie, Joseph Milton, Blanche Evaline, May Ernestine and Hilma 
Constance. 

	Mr. Oyan is treasurer of the school board and the cause of 
education finds in him a stalwart champion, for he recognizes that it 
is one of the strongest bulwarks of the nation. In religious faith he 
is a Lutheran and is now acting as treasurer of the Nedaros Evangelical 
Lutheran church at Baltic. His political allegiance is given to the 
republican party, but he does not seek nor desire office. He is 
preeminently a home man, devoting his leisure hours to his family. It 
has been his desire to provide a comfortable living for them that has 
actuated him in all of his business connections and his developing 
powers have gained him place among the representative business men of 
his county.