BIOGRAPHIES: JOHN FROSETH, Spring Brook, Dunn Co., WI ********************************************************************* USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, 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. Submitted by: Laura Abood 3/19/2006 ********************************************************************* JOHN FROSETH, a prominent farmer of the town of Spring Brook, is a native of Dunn County, having been born in the city of Menomonie, Nov. 27, 1872, son of Nels and Guro (Hustoft) Froseth. The parents were natives of Soknedalen, Norway, the father born Dec. 13, 1836, and the mother Sept. 7, the same year. Married in their native land, they came to America in 1870, landing at Quebec, Canada, from which city and port of entry they came directly west to Menomonie, Wis. Here Nels Froseth found employment with Knapp, Stout & Co., working in the woods in winter and in the mills in summer. During that period, however, he was looking ahead and making plans for the future, which included the establishment of a permanent home; so in the spring of 1875 he came to the town of Spring Brook and bought the Daniel Beaman farm, a tract of 44 acres in Sections 3 and 10, the locality known as the Chippewa bottoms. For several years after settling there he continued to work at logging during the winter months in the employ of the lumber company at old Meridean. In the summer he worked on his farm and after it was sufficiently improved to afford him a living, gave his whole time to it. By the purchase of more land he increased its area in time to 220 acres, of which 120 acres were situated on Mud Creek Prairie, and he gradually erected a good and substantial set of buildings. Here he carried on general farming and dairying very successfully until his death, which occurred on May 10, 1899, 24 years after he had begun work on the place. His career had been that of a typical pioneer, and he had achieved success through hard work and patent determination, taking advantage of such opportunities as lay in his path. For a few years after starting on his farm he made use of oxen, getting his first team of horses in 1879. After the floods of 1880 and 1884 he worked for the lumber companies again, helping to put back into the river the logs and lumber that had been carried by the flood and deposited all over the land in the vicinity. He was a man of firm religious principles, an ardent church worker, and he helped to build the Spring Brook Norwegian Lutheran Church in old Meridean. His wife, Mrs. Guro Froseth, survived him little more than a year, passing away on May 31, 1900. They were the parents of two children: John, the direct subject of this sketch, and Carl, now residing in Caryville. John Froseth acquired his education in the Foss Brook School in the town of Spring Brook and remained on the home farm, which he helped his father to develop. After the father's death John and his brother Carl until 1910 operated it together, but in that year John bought Carl's interest and and has since been sole proprietor. He has added to it a tract of 40 acres on Mud Creek Prairie, which makes the area of his farm 260 acres. He has considerably improved the buildings and now has one of the best farms in his locality. It is well stocked with grade Holstein cattle, the herd containing a pure bred sire and Mr. Froseth is one of the stockholders in the Elk Mound Cooperative Creamery, as well as in the Caryville Telephone Company. He has also served many years as clerk of the Foss Brook School. On July 1, 1899, Mr. Froseth was united in marriage with Kari Market, who was born in the town of Spring Brook, Oct. 28, 1877, daughter of Peter and Ellen H. (Johnson) Market. To this union 11 children were born, as follows. Gunda, March 9, 1900; Nels, Aug. 1, 1901; Palmer, Nov. 22, 1902; Harold, Feb. 28, 1924; Herman, July 1, 1905; Julius, May 23, 1907; Clarence, Aug. 22, 1909; Raymond, April 6, 1911; Hilda, Sept. 15, 1914; Norma, July 16, 1916, and Irene, May 31, 1919. Of these children, Gunda is now Mrs. Edward Swanson of Eau Claire and the mother of two children, Ione and Loraine. Nels is the only one deceased, his death having occurred Aug. 26, 1914. Palmer is now in the employ of the Brack Auto Co. of Menomonie, Harold is doing farm labor in the town of Elk Mound, and Herman similar work in the town of Spring Brook. Mr. Froseth and his family are members of the Spring Brook Norwegian Lutheran Church, he being secretary of the congregation, while Mrs. Froseth is an active worker in the Ladies' Aid Society.