BIOGRAPHIES:  Peder J. MAHLA, Elk Mound Township, Dunn Co., WI

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Submitted by:  Laura Abood <wabood@msn.com>  02 September 2003
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Peder J. Mahla, who for a number of years was an active farmer in the town 
of Elk Mound, and one of its well known and respected citizens, but who is 
now deceased, was born in Trondhjem, Norway, Feb. 16, 1857.  It was in 1880
at the age of about 23 that he came to the United States, reaching Eau Claire, 
Wis., on May 23.  There he made his home until 1894, working in the mills 
during the summers and in lumber camps during the winters.  The year 1895 
was an important one in his life, for it was then that he married and began 
the building up of his farm.  His marriage, which took place Sept. 8, united 
him with Gina S. Sorenson, who was born in a log house in the town of Elk 
Mound Dec. 14, 1863, on the farm of her parents Engebreth and Anna (Larson) 
Sorenson.  Mr. Mahla had already bought the land for his farm, consisting of 
160 acres in Section 13, town of Elk Mound.  There were no buildings on it 
except an old corn crib.  He at once built a granary which he and his wife 
occupied for some time as a dwelling.  When winter came, however, he had to 
go into the woods to cook in lumber camps, during which time his wife resided 
with her parents, such separations being a part of the hardships of this who 
had to do pioneer duty in developing the wild lands of the county.  In the 
following summer-that of 1895-Mr. Mahla built a house on his farm and 
continued the work of developing the soil, but had to cook in lumber camps 
for three more winters.  After that, or from the year 1898, until his death, 
he gave his entire attention to his farm.  He put up in time a fine set of 
buildings and brought his land into a good state of cultivation, becoming one 
of the representative farmers of the town of Elk Mound.  The buildings which 
he erected, in addition to the house, were:  a fine basement barn of 34 x 56 
feet, a granary, wagon shed, wood shed and a silo of 12 x 34 feet in size.  
With an eye to making the place beautiful, he laid out a good-sized lawn and 
planted trees and shrubbery, showing that he was a man of modern ideas.  He 
was also a stockholder in the creamery in Elk Mound village.  He accomplished 
the work he set out to do, was honored in the achievement, and finally passed 
from this earthly life on Aug. 30, leaving a wife and two children to mourn 
his loss.  Mrs. Mahla, who had been her husband's faithful companion and 
counselor for 28 years, has since carried on the farm with the help of her 
sons.  She and her husband had but three children, the first of whom, Anna 
Olena, born March 3, 1898, died Sept. 29, the same year, a little babe less 
than six months old.  The other two are John E., born March 21, 1899, and Paul 
G., born June 17, 1904.  Mrs. Mahla and her sons are carrying on general 
farming including dairying, keeping grade Guernsey cattle and Poland-China and 
Chester White hogs.  Lutherans in religious faith, they are members of what is 
known as the Baerum congregation, Mrs. Mahla being a member of the Ladies' Aid 
Society.  

-Transcribed from the "History of Dunn County, Wisconsin, 1925", page 725 

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