BIOGRAPHIES: Thomas P. NELSESTUEN, Ettrick Township, Trempealeau Co., 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: Nance Sampson, Trempealeau Co. WIGenWeb Coordinator, 3 June 2002 ==================================================================== ** Posted for informational purposes only -- the poster is not related to the subject of this biography. Thomas P. Nelsestuen, a successful farmer of section 34 W., Ettrick Township, was born on the farm on which he now lives, Jan. 8, 1876, son of Peter and Christiana (Hagestuen) Nelsestuen. His parents were natives of Norway. The father was born in Syndreland, that country, Oct. 3, 1838; his wife in Biri, Feb. 6, 1845. About 1860 they came to the United States, settling in Trempealeau County, and soon after on the farm where the subject of this sketch now lives, which Peter Nelsestuen cleared and improved and on which he resided until his death Feb. 6, 1914. His wife now resides in Beaver Creek Valley, Ettrick Township, with her daughter, Mrs. Sever Twesme. They had a family of eight children, of whom Thomas P. was the sixth born. The latter, after acquiring his education in the district school, was a student for awhile at Gale College, and for one year attended public school at Superior, Wis. He resided at home until he was 23 years old and then went to Westby, Vernon County, where he spent the winter. From there he went to North Dakota and then to Canada, locating in the province of Saskatchewan, where he proved up 160 acres of land, residing on it three years. He then went to Ross, N. D., and proved up a claim there, his residence being continued for 18 months. At the end of that time he returned home and bought the old homestead of his parents, consisting of 133 1/2 acres, located at the mouth of French's Creek. Mr. Nelsestuen has added to the improvements on the farm, having put up a good barn and silo and done other work increasing the value of the property. He has disposed of his Canadian and North Dakota holdings, but is a stockholder in the Ettrick & Northern Railroad Company, the Scandinavian Insurance Company and the Ettrick Farmers' Telephone Company. June 23, 1909, Mr. Nelsestuen was united in marriage with Julia Ofsdahl, who was born in Ettrick Township, daughter of Peter and Ingeborg (Holmen) Ofsdahl, whose parents were Norwegians, her father being born in Biri, Norway, Oct 27, 1835, and her mother Feb. 1, 1835. Peter Ofsdahl had been previously married. He came to this country before the Civil War, in which he served as a soldier. His death took place Oct. 10, 1905, his wife surviving him a little over a year, passed away May 13, 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Nelsestuen are members of the Lutheran Church; in politics he is a Republican. The children of Peter Nelsestuen and wife are: Ole of Thief River Falls, Minn.; Tillie, widow of Siver Twesme; Minnie, now Mrs. H. Gangnon of Superior, Wis.; Clara, now Mrs. Lewis Twesme of Superior, Wis.; Peter of South Beaver Creek, Ettrick Township; Thomas P., subject of this sketch, and John and Otto of Minneapolis. --Transcribed from the "History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917" Pages 489-490