The Berg Families of Lyon County, Minnesota

PETER M. BERG (1905) is a general merchant of the village of Minneota. He is a native of Sweden and was born January 6, 1862. His parents were Swen Peter and Inga Mary (Johnson) Peter, both of whom are deceased. They were the parents of two children: Peter M., of this sketch, and Andrew, who is farming in Swede Prairie township, Yellow Medicine county.

The subject of this sketch came to the United States in 18 81 and located in Yellow Medicine county, where he worked on farms for a few years, near Hanley Falls. He purchased a farm in Burton township in 1887 and operated it until 1905, when he moved to Minneota and purchased the general merchandise stock of Sterk Brothers, which he has since conducted. He still owns his farm.

Mr. Berg is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church and the I. O. O. F., M. W. A. and Yeomen lodges. He is also justice of the peace of the village of Minneota. While in Yellow Medicine county he held various offices, including justice of the peace, member of the school board, and a member of the Township Board of Supervisors.

Mr. Berg was married at Hanley Falls October 24, 1884, to Helen Knuteson, a native of Goodhue county, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Berg are the parents of the following ten children: Hilda (Mrs. P. J. Brantnum), of Canby, Minnesota; Andre W. and Clara E., who clerk for their father; Henry A., a student; Carl F., grain buyer for Bigham Brothers at Minneota; Emma E., Peter S., George A., James A. and Arby, who reside at home.

To our subject is largely due the splendid rural mail service from the village of Minneota, he circulating the petition for the establishment of route No. 1. K. K. Mohn was the first carrier on that route, which was established in 1902.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CARL F. BERG (1906) is the manager of Bingham Brothers' grain elevator at Minneota. He is a native of Yellow Medicine county, was born on his father's farm February 2, 1887, and there grew to manhood. His father, P. M. Berg, was an early settler of Yellow Medicine county and is now a merchant of Minneota. Carl located in Minneota in 1906, worked a few years in his father's store, and then ran a dray line one year. He then returned to his parents' old farm and conducted that one year. In March, 1911, he entered the employ of Bingham Brothers and has since bought grain and managed the elevator for that firm.

Carl F. Berg was married at Canby, Minnesota, August 7, 1908, to Sarah Josephson, a resident of Minneota and a daughter of Asbjorn Josephson. Two children have blessed their union — Henry and a baby girl.

Mr. Berg is a member of the M. W. A. lodge and of the Minneota Fire Department.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN E. BERG (1892), farmer of Westerheim township, was born in Norway December 19, 18 69. His mother died in the old country when he was five years old and his father, Erick Haug, died in Rock county, Minnesota, in 1883, soon after his arrival to the New World.

When John Berg was eleven years of age he came to America and joined his father in Rock county. The father had come the year before and taken a homestead in Rose Dell township, of that county. After his father's death John was obliged to make his own way in the world, although he was but a boy in his early teens. Until eighteen years of age he worked on farms in Rock county, and then he learned the miller's trade, working three and one-half years in the mill at Luverne.

At Slayton Mr. Berg resided a year, working in the mill and at carpenter work. The next nine months were passed working in a mill at Winnebago City, and then he located in Minneota and was employed in the mill two years. He worked at his trade in Lamberton a short time and in Madison two years. In 1896 Mr. Berg gave up that work and turned farmer. At that time he bought the north half of the northeast quarter of section 6, Westerheim township, and engaged in farming. He has resided on that farm, since, with the exception of five years spent in Eidsvold township, where he bought a farm which he later sold. Mr. Berg farms 480 acres of land, owning besides his Lyon county farm 400 acres in Burton and Swede Prairie townships, Yellow Medicine county.

Mr. Berg was married at Minneota August 15, 1894, to Helen Hellickson, a native of Wisconsin and a daughter of Andrew Hellickson. They have two daughters, Jane Esther and Hazel Iverine. Mr. Berg is a member of the Odd Fellows and Woodmen orders.

In Mr. Berg's father's family are four children, the others being Edward, of Tacoma, Washington; Martha and Ingeborg, both of Norway.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

LARS BERG (1902), the owner of 160 acres on section 27 and a well-to-do farmer of Lucas township, was born in Valders, Norway, October 27, 1864. He is a son of Lars and Ingeborg Berg, of whom the former is living in Norway and the latter is deceased.

Our subject attended the common schools in Norway until fourteen years of age, after which he worked at farm labor in his native land until 1886. In the spring, of that year young Berg came to America and located in Monona county, Iowa, where he resided about eleven years, and then moved to Clay county, Minnesota, where he purchased land and lived until 1902, pursuing the occupation of a farmer.

It was in the spring of 1902 that Mr. Berg came to Lyon county and purchased the south half of the south half of section 27, Lucas township. On that place he has since made his home and devoted himself to general farming and stock raising. He has prospered and his quarter section is one of the fine pieces of real estate in the township.

Mr. Berg was married October 16, 1885, in Norway to Siri Olson. She was born April 25, 1861, and died November 18, 1909. She and Mr. Berg were the parents of eight children, all of whom are living at home with their father. Their names are Louis, Olaf, John, Anna, Lillian, Harry, Clarence and Ida. Mr. Berg is a member of the United Norwegian Lutheran church of Cottonwood.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.