BIOGRAPHIES: Michael J. ROMUNDSTAD, Unity 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,  15 July 2003      
====================================================================

** Posted for informational purposes only -- the poster is not related
to the subject of this biography.

Michael J. Romundstad, proprietor of  Valley View Farm, Unity Township, a 
highly improved piece of agricultural property, was born on this farm, 
Jan. 27, 1874, son of Ole J. and Gertrude O. Romundstad.  The father was 
one of the early settlers in this locality.  Born in Rindalen, near 
Trondjem, Norway, Sept. 3, 1840, he came to the United States in the 
spring of 1869 and homesteaded the farm on which his son Michael J. now 
lives.  This farm now consists of 280 acres, of which 200 lie in section 
4 and the other 80 in section 33.  Here Ole J. Romundstad spent some 37 
years, adding to the size of his farm and improving it by cultivation 
and the erection of buildings as needed until it became a valuable piece 
of property.  His laborious career was brought to a close by death, Sept. 
10, 1906.  His wife, Gertrude, who was born in the same part of Norway 
as himself, Oct. 23, 1847, came to this country in the spring of 1870, 
their marriage taking place Nov. 7, that year.  She is still living and 
resides with her son, Michael J.  Their family numbered nine children:  
John, a farmer at Fergus, Mont.; Odin, who is engaged in ranching at that 
place; Michael J., subject of this sketch; Ellen, wife of John Karo, a 
farmer of Fergus, Mont.; Mollie, wife of Dan Moltzau, a farmer of Fergus, 
Mont.; Marit, wife of Harry Haanstad, a sawyer of Medford, Wis., Louisa, 
now Mrs. Anton Clementson, her husband being a merchant at Mondovi, Wis.; 
Annie, wife of H. P. Frodal, of Shevlin, Minn., her husband being a farmer; 
and Olga, wife of Harry Oquist, a farmer of Roy, Mont.  Michael J. 
Romundstad has resided on his present farm - the old parental homestead - 
all his life, becoming his manager in 1905 and its owner in 1906, after 
his father's death, he purchasing the property.   The improvements are 
very extensive, and include a barn, 20 by 52 by 18 feet, for horses; 
another barn, 30 by 50 by 16 feet, with an ell, 24 by 52 by 18 feet, 
having cement floors and equipped with steel stanchions; also a residence 
of frame construction, two stories and basement, and containing ten rooms.  
Among his other buildings are a skimming house, 10 by 12 feet; a granary, 
20 by 32 by 14, and a machine shed, 32 by 22 by 8 feet, these three being 
frame buildings, together with a concrete silo, 14 by 33 feet.  Mr. 
Romundstad keeps a herd of 32 Shorthorn cattle, graded, and also raises 
Plymouth Rock chickens.  He is a stockholder in the Farmers' Exchange Bank, 
of Osseo, and the Unity Co-Operative Creamery, of Strum.  As one of the 
responsible citizens of Unity Township, he has been called upon several 
times to aid in local government affairs, having been a member of the 
township board four years, school clerk four years and assessor one year.  
June 2, 1909, Mr. Romundstad was united in marriage with Marie Fossum, of 
Eau Claire, Wis., who was born in that city Dec. 26, 1886, daughter of 
Anton and Mathia (Johnsgaard) Fossum, her father being a carpenter by 
occupation.  Mr. and Mrs. Romundstad are the parents of four children born 
as follows:  Olive, July 6, 1910; Muriel, Dec. 9, 1911; Astrid, Sept. 23, 
1914, and Gjermund, Feb. 25, 1916.  The family are members of the United 
Norwegian Lutheran Church of America.

--Transcribed from the "History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917," 
pages 575-576.