Union County, SD Biographies.....Erickson, Andrew January 12, 1841 - 
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Source: MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF Turner, Lincoln, Union and Clay Counties, South Dakota. (1897)
Author: Geo. Ogle & Co.

ANDREW ERICKSON. One of the leading and well-to-do farmers of Brule township is the
man whose name heads this sketch. He settled on the place where he now lives, in the
spring of 1867, having the previous year entered 143 acres of land.

Mr. Erickson is a native of Norway, and was born January 12, 1841, a son of Erick
and Mary (Haffland) Erickson. He lived in the land of his birth till 1857, when he
was sixteen years old, acquiring in his native land a limited education in the
common schools. He was accompanied to America by an uncle, Ole Netvik, on a sailing
vessel which landed them at Quebec. From there they pushed west via Detroit and
Chicago, and landed in Dane county, Wis., near the city of Madison. There he
followed farming until he departed in 1859 for Arkansas and Mississippi, where he
remained until the following year, when he again returned to Wisconsin.

In the fall of 1861 the subject of this biography, like many another gallant and
courageous man, responded to the call of the country and enlisted in company B.
Fifteenth Wisconsin regiment, infantry, a crack body of fighting men, composed
entirely of Scandinavians, including officers; a braver lot of men never met and
grappled with a foe. After enlistment the regiment was transferred to the front,
serving independently at first in Kentucky, and afterward was connected with the
Third division, Fourth army corps. They spent apart of this time under Buell, and
later under Bosecrans' command, and participated in the battles of Perryville, Ky.,
and also Stone river, fighting under Gen. Corlins. At Chickamauga the regiment was
badly cut up. Then they were in the battles of Missionary Ridge and Chattanooga,
after which they marched into eastern Tennessee and then mustered into Sherman’s
army in the Atlanta campaign, participating in many of the engagements of that
campaign. Near Resaca, Ga., the regiment were in a desperate conflict, and lost very
heavily. Mr. Erickson was discharged with the regiment at Chattanooga, the latter
part of December, 1864, after which he went back to Wisconsin, and, in the spring of
1865, went on a raft to St. Louis, and spent some time there, later returning again
to Dane county. In 1866 he came to Union county as above stated, entered his land,
built a small log cabin, and started in improving his property. His uncle, who came
to America with him, and was a soldier in the same regiment and company, was taken
prisoner at Chickamauga, and placed in Andersonville prison, where he died. His
cousin, John Johnson, who was also a private in company B, Fifteenth Wisconsin
regiment, infantry, was wounded in the leg during the battle of Chickamauga, was
taken prisoner, and died in the enemy's hands at Atlanta, Ga.

In 1805 [sic] Mr. Erickson was married at Madison, Wis., to Miss Julia Anderson, and
they have had six children, three of whom are living, viz.: Josephine, Edward	and
Carrie; the deceased being Maria, Julia and Carrie. The family are all members of
the Lutheran church, and he is a member of Stephen A. Hulburt, post No. 9, G. A. R.,
at Elk Point. Our subject was a Republican in political faith until a few years ago,
when he joined the Independent party.


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