S. J. Rislov Biography This biography appears on pages 602-605 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm S. J. RISLOV. South Dakota has proved attractive to many Scandinavians and S. J. Rislov, a native of Norway, is among the number who have found here a congenial climate and splendid agricultural opportunities. He is a well-to-do farmer of Highland township, Minnehaha county, and has become thoroughly American in spirit and interests. He was born on. the 21st of February, 1841, a son of John S. and Liva Rislov. The family emigrated to the United States in 1864, and settled first in Illinois, whence they removed to Iowa in the spring of 1866. They remained in that state for eight or ten years. The subject of this review was the first to come to South Dakota, where he homesteaded land. His parents followed him to this state two years later. and remained here until their deaths. They are laid to rest not far from the homestead of their son. S. J. Rislov was educated in Norway and prepared for teaching in that country. While he was a resident of Iowa he taught for six years and after coming to South Dakota was for thirty years engaged in teaching in the country schools. His duties in this line, however, did not occupy all of his time and in 1874 he homesteaded the northeast one-half of section 21, Highland township, Minnehaha county. He also took up a tree claim and located sixteen hundred acres for others of the party that came to South Dakota with him. His farm is now splendidly improved and is a source of a good annual income. Mr. Rislov was married on the 22d of May, 1871, to Miss Ingeborg Wemark, a daughter of Ole and Gro Wemark. Mr. and Mrs. Rislov became the parents of the following children: Ole, who died at the age of thirty-seven years; Gana, now Mrs. John Stadheim; Ivrin, who operates the old homestead; Gustave L.; Josie, the wife of John O. Oihus; and Sigurd Ingeman. The family belong to the Lutheran church and are faithful in the support of the work of that organization. Mr. Rislov was the first assessor of his township and for years served as secretary of the school board. His long experience as a teacher well qualified him for directing the affairs of the public schools of the township and he was influential in securing many improvements. He has aided much in the development of the county along several different lines, his work as a farmer identifying him with agricultural interests, his service as a teacher and member of the school board being of great value to the educational growth of the county, and his connection with the Farmers Elevator Company at Sherman placing him among those who are actively concerned in the business life of his locality. He is a stockholder and one of the organizers of the last named enterprise, which has proved very successful. Mr. Rislov has never regretted coming to America and has proven himself a valuable and public-spirited citizen of his adopted state.