BIOGRAPHIES: Gustaf T. FALK, Barron, Barron County, WI ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, or the legal representative of the contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Transcribed by Peg Lamkin Edited and submitted by Vic Gulickson 8 April 2002 ==================================================================== Gustaf T. Falk, senior member of the Falk Hardware Co. of Barron, was born in Nodum, Norway, July 27, 1878, son of Andreas and Caroline (Anderson) Falk. The parents, who were poor, emigrated to the United States in 1892, being preceded to this country, however, by two sisters, Anna and Emma, who forwarded the money to pay for the transportation for the rest of the family. On their arrival they settled on land at Big Lake, Sherburne County, Minn. Andreas Falk is now deceased, having passed away in 1916, and his widow is now living at Monticello, this state, with her son, Adolph. Mr. and Mrs. Andreas Falk had eight children--Anna, who is now Mrs. Andrew Broberg of Grasston, Minn.; Emma, who is the wife of Luther Anderson of Duluth; Charles of Bronson, Kittson County, Minn.; Gustaf T. of Barron, Wis.; Oscar, who died in February, 1920; Adolph of Monticello, Minn.; Conrad, who was a resident of Buffalo, Wright County, Minn., and died in April, 1920; and Sophia, who is also deceased. Gustaf T. Falk attended common school in Norway and also for a little while in Minnesota. He remained on his parents' farm until 1895, and in the fall of that year entered the employ of A. J. Johnson, of Big Lake, to learn the hardware and furniture business. While thus occupied he bought 80 acres of land near Big Lake, which he sold in the fall of 1899. About the same time he became Mr. Johnson's partner and subsequently continued with him for four years. Then selling his interest to his partner, he bought the hardware business of T. D. Mohan at Foley, Minn., of which he was sole proprietor for three years. At the end of that time the business was incorporated as the Falk Hardware Co., Mr. Falk's associates in the company being T. H. Caley, E. K. Evens and S. S. Patterson, all of Princeton, Minn. The company ran a chain of eight stores. In 1915 Gustaf T. Falk bought the store at Sauk Rapids, Minn., and in partnership with Ebert Johnson of St. Cloud and Joseph C. Neron established the Sauk Rapids Hardware Co., in which the subject of this sketch still holds an interest. In the spring of 1918 he and his brother, Conrad E., bought the interests of E. Nelson in the E. Nelson Hardware Co. of Barron, the store being located on the corner of La Salle and Sixth Streets. The business of the concern included heavy and shelf hardware, agricultural implements, the Smalley silo fillers, furniture and household furnishings, paints and varnishes, as well as undertaking. The business was conducted by Conrad E. Falk until the fall of 1918, at which time his interests were purchased by Gustaf T., who moved his family to Barron and took charge of the concern, Conrad then engaging in the hardware business for himself at Buffalo, Wright County, Minn. In the Barron business Gustaf associated with himself as partners, John Schiltz and Clarence Edson, formerly connected with the store at Foley, and who are still members of the Falk Hardware Co. of Barron. The company owns and occupies a large store building together with two adjoining buildings as stock rooms, and are leaders in their line of business in Barron County. They also handle the Brunswick phonographs, of which they have a large and increasing sale yearly. On May 6, 1904, Gustaf T. Falk married Caroline Edson, daughter of Charles and Carrie (Christiansen) Edson, of Big Lake, Minn. Her parents were natives of Norway, who emigrated to America at an early day, settling in Boone County, Ill., where she was born Dec. 24, 1878. The Edson family came to Minnesota when she was six months old. Mr. and Mrs. Gustaf T. Falk have been the parents of five children--Clara Alvina, born July 21, 1905, who is a student in the Barron High School; Hazel Victoria and Helen Louisa (twins), born May 13, 1907, of whom the latter died Aug. 4, 1911; Agnes Elenore, born July 6, 1909, and Geneva Viola, born July 30, 1916. The family are affiliated religiously with the Norwegian Lutheran Church. --Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co., 1922, pg. 116.