BIOGRAPHIES: John E. SORENSON, Elk Mound Township, 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 13 January 2004 ************************************************************************ JOHN E. SORENSON, owner of Hillside Guernsey Farm, Registered, was born on this farm March 12, 1871, son of Anders and Karen (Anderson) Sorenson. The parents were natives of Ringerekke, Norway, the father born Sept. 19, 1833, and the mother Feb. 1841. Married in Norway, they came with six children to America in 1869, settling on 80 acres of wild land on Section 14, town of Elk Mound, Dunn County, Wis. There were no buildings on the place, so Anders Sorenson built some of logs and thus began the career of a pioneer farmer, which, however, in his case, lasted but ten years, as he died Oct. 1, 1880. His wife survived him not quite 15 years, passing away on July 31, 1895. They were the parents of a large family of 12 children, namely: Sam, who married Carrie Howe and died Dec. 23, 1919, leaving his wife and six children; Maren, who married John Howe and died in 1908; Gilbrand, who died in Dec. 7, 1880; Lizzie, who became Mrs. Andrew Tanberg and died in September, 1923; Corine, deceased, who married Carl Christopherson; Annetta, now Mrs. John Bedahl of Cloquet, Minn.; John E. subject of this sketch; Nels, of the town of Elk Mound; Albert, of St. Paul; Andreas, who died Oct. 30, 1874; Oswald, who died in 1920; and Amanda, now Mrs. Adolph Edwardson of Stanley, Wis. John E. Sorenson was educated in rural school district No. 3, and remained at home with his parents until he was 15 years old. From that time until 1904, a period of eight years, he worked out for others. His next move was to buy the home farm, which had been reduced in area to 40 acres and to begin the task of building it up. He remodeled the house making it into a neat and comfortable residence. In 1914 he built a thoroughly modern barn of 34 by 46 feet in ground plan, providing it with the Libby barn equipment. In 1917 he put up a stone silo of 10 x 38 feet, a large machine shed, a granary, chicken house, cement-block milk house and cement-block garage besides other out-buildings; and to his land he has added 10 acres in Section 14 and 40 acres in Section 13. About 75 acres of the total area are now in a state of cultivation. He has shown good judgment in the arrangement of his buildings, which stand some distance back from the highway and enough of an incline to make the most of their appearance, all well painted and in fine condition. Mr. Sorenson has a good herd of Guernsey cattle, headed by a pure bred sire; he also raises Poland-China hogs. He is a stockholder in the Elk Mound Cooperative Creamery. On Dec. 9, 1903 John E. Sorenson was united in marriage with Martha Nelson, who was born in Elk Mound village, daughter of Tille and Anna (Tilleson) Nelson, further mention of whom may be found in the biography of Ludwig E. Nelson. Mr. and Mrs. Sorenson are members of the Barum Lutheran Church. They have an adopted child, Grace, who was born Oct. 10, 1910. -Transcribed from the "History of Dunn County Wisconsin, 1925," pages 626-627 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm