Bengt Anderson Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 1002-1005

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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BENGT ANDERSON, possessor of one of the best farms in Beadle county, 
and who is considered one of the most successful agriculturists of 
Dakota, is demonstrating the advisability of mixed farming, rather than 
the adherence to one line of farm work. His farm, comprising five 
quarter-sections of land, is in Altoona township, and he is the most 
extensive grain grower in that locality, and is also engaged in the 
raising of hogs and cattle. The hog raising, after extensive 
experiments, has proven entirely satisfactory and has become a fixed 
feature of his farming. 

Our subject's father, Anders Bengtson, was overseer of the estate 
Lonstorp, near the city of Landskrona, Sweden, and it was on this 
estate our subject was born, June 15, 1849. His mother's maiden name 
was Celia Paulson, and of her seven children our subject was the second 
in order of birth. His parents are both deceased. 

When our subject attained the age of eighteen years he went to the 
neighboring city as clerk in a general store. This was the beginning of 
many years of varied experiences, but few of which were fraught with 
pleasure. He grew tired of the slow advance toward a business for 
himself in his native land and at twenty-two years of age went to 
Australia, and at Rockhampton accepted the first offer of work and was 
engaged as coachman, which he followed for three years. At the opening 
of the Palmer gold mines he took to the trail, with hundreds of others, 
for the gold fields, and after many attempts to make a successful 
strike he decided mining unprofitable for him and he accordingly went 
to Cooktown and here he started a general store, taking a partner in 
with him. This business was a success financially, but sickness in the 
form of fever and ague came upon him and he sold his interest in the 
business to his partner and returned to Rockhampton, where he worked at 
carpenter work and afterward took his former position as coachman. He 
returned to his native land in 1881 with the intention of engaging in 
business, but he remained scarcely a year when he emigrated to America. 
Landing at New York he proceeded at once to Ashtabula, Ohio, and from 
thence to Chicago, where he worked at the trade of cabinetmaker. 

Our subject came to Dakota, with about two thousand dollars, in 1882, 
where he took a tree claim and a pre-emption, and later a homestead. He 
erected a small house and rough barns, and began wheat growing and 
cattle raising. Three years later he erected a fifty by fifty-foot 
barn, with the lower part of native stone, and a good sized addition, 
and has storage room for forty tons of hay. In 1893 he erected a thirty 
by thirty foot house,with eighteen-foot posts, which is a model 
residence, and is fitted in the best of style, and affords every 
comfort to the family. Our subject is the possessor of five quarter 
sections of land and rents some, in all controlling two sections of 
land. He crops about five hundred acres annually, and with much 
success. He winters sixty to seventy head of cattle, and engages in hog 
raising, netting annually about as much from them as from his cattle. 
His farm bears the unmistakable marks of industry, and the exercise of 
good judgment in its management. 

Our subject was married in 1882, to Miss Hadda C. Anderson, a native of 
Sweden. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have been the parents of nine children, 
named as follows: John E., deceased, Auralia, Albert, Theresa, Victor, 
Earl, Olga, Alma and Iver. Our subject has taken an active part in the 
upbuilding of his locality, and for nine years has been treasurer of 
the school board. He is assessor of the township, and as a public-
spirited citizen and a gentleman of integrity, he stands among the 
leaders of his adopted state. In political sentiment he is a Populist, 
favors high license and opposes equal suffrage. He is a member of the 
Lutheran church. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are shown on 
another page.