John O. Strand Biography


	This biography appears on pages 141-142 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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				JOHN O. STRAND. 

	John O. Strand is conducting an abstract office in Howard and has 
won a reputation for accurate and thorough work in that connection. He 
has also been closely identified with public affairs, having held a 
number of local offices. He was born in Norway, on the 1st of February, 
1858, a son of T. O. Strand, whose birth occurred in Norway on the 25th 
of March, 1824. The mother, likewise a native of the land of the 
midnight sun, was in her maidenhood Bergit Ashland. The parents came to 
De Kalb county, Illinois, in 1861 and remained there upon a farm for 
five years, subsequently removing to Freeborn county, Minnesota, where 
they continued to reside for fifteen years. In 1881 they came to Miner 
county, South Dakota, and homesteaded land. The father passed away upon 
his farm in Miner county, January 14, 1889, and his demise was much 
regretted by his many friends and neighbors. 

	John O. Strand completed the course in the common schools of 
Freeborn county, Minnesota, and attended the Augsburg Seminary in 
Minneapolis, Minnesota, from 1878 until 1881. He subsequently took up a 
homestead in Miner county in his own name and remained upon the farm 
until 1888, when he was elected county treasurer and held the office 
for two years. When his term expired he engaged in mercantile business 
at Carthage, continuing in that line for eight years. At the end of 
that time his business was destroyed by fire and, as he was appointed 
clerk of the commissioners court of the public land office, he did not 
continue his mercantile enterprise. He held the office to which he was 
appointed for two years, making his residence during that time in 
Pierre. After resigning the position he opened an abstract office in 
Howard and has since devoted his time to its conduct. He has a large 
clientage and his abstracts are all prepared with great care so that 
they are in fact an accurate record of all transactions recorded 
affecting the property concerned. He has had some banking experience, 
as he was cashier of the Merchants Bank at Carthage for two years, 
proving himself an efficient and popular official. 

	Mr. Strand was married June 25, 1896, to Miss Lilly Johnson, a 
daughter of Bernt Johnson. Seven children have been born to this union 
as follows: Tansea J., whose birth occurred January 7, 1898; Agnes B., 
who was born March 26, 1899; John R., May 26, 1901; Lilah, January 4, 
1903; Norman V., September, 1908; Vivian E., whose birth occurred in 
February, 1910; and Fern Iris, who was born November 11, 1912. The 
children are all attending the public and high schools of Howard. Mr. 
Strand is a prominent member of the Lutheran church, of which he is a 
trustee and also superintendent of the Sunday-school. His political 
allegiance is given to the republican party and he is now serving his 
second term as alderman. Fraternally he is a Mason and has many friends 
in that organization and in the community at large.