The Hover Family of Winneshiek County, Iowa

It is the enterprise and character of the citizen that enrich and ennoble the commonwealth and Iowa is indebted in large degree to men of the type of Edwin Hover for her stability and prosperity. He is one of Norway's native sons, his birth having occurred in Valdres. on the 5th of February, t4S, a son of Hover Evenson and Bertha (Larson) Hoyme. The parents were also natives of the land of the midnight sun, the father having been born on the 15th of June, 1818, and the mother on the lath of March, 1822. They were married in their native country about 1843 ard m l&4& came to the new world, locating near Cambridge, Dane county, Wisconsin. There the father engaged in the blacksmithing trade, which he had learned in the city of Bergen, Norway, his time being thus occupied for three years. The year 1851 witnessed the arrival of the family in Iowa, the father settling on a farm on section 5, Pleasant township. Winneshiek county, where he spent his remaining days. In addition to general farming which he carried on during the daytime, he engaged at his trade in the evening hours, being the first blacksmith in the northern half of Winneshiek county. For a number of years the settlers of that district depended entirely upon him for all of their blacksmithing. At the time the family made settlement in Iowa, Winneshiek county was largely a frontier district and the family were confronted with many pioneer conditions. The father made all of the shoes and clothes for the family and it was a matter of two or three days' drive with ox teams to Lansing, the nearest trading post, which was thirty miles away. As he prospered he became the owner of three hundred and seventy-eight and a half acres which he brought to a high state of cultivation. He was a progressive man and was one of the first to purchase a threshing machine, which he hauled from McGregor. For a number of years he carried on threshing profitably and won success in his various undertakings, becoming one of the prominent and substantial residents of Winneshiek county. He gave his political allegiance to the republican party and held a number of township offices. He was one of the organizers and builders of the Methodist Episcopal church and was a liberal supporter and a faithful member thereof. He passed away on the homestead farm on the 17th of April, 1882, and his wife died on the nth of October, 1892. They were the parents of fourteen children, of whom five are now living, namely: Edwin, of this review; Sarah, the wife of J. J. Kessey, of Forest City, Iowa; Isabella, who married J. J. Shervin, of Pleasant township; Lewis H., of Wadena, Minnesota; and Henry A., of Pleasant township.

Edwin Hover, the eldest in his father's family, was the only child born in Norway and was a little lad of three years when brought to the United States by his parents. His boyhood days were spent amid the pioneer conditions of a frontier district and consequently his opportunities for an education were limited. His practical training, however, was thorough, for at an early age he began working in the fields. Upon attaining his majority he wisely those as his life work the occupation to which he had been reared and has since given his attention to agricultural pursuits. He is now the owner of two hundred and thirty-seven acres lying on sections 5 and 8, Pleasant township, a portion of this farm belonging to the old family homestead upon which his father located after his arrival in this county. It is in excellent condition, due to the well directed efforts of father and son, and is given over to general farming and stock-raising purposes, in both of which branches Mr. Hover is meeting with excellent success.

In 1868 Mr. Hover was united in marriage to Miss Bertha Maria Christian, who was born in Norway on the 17th of January, 1846. She was brought to the United States in 1857 by her parents, Christian and Anna Marie (Larson) Christianson, natives of Vardal, Norway, the father's birth occurring on the 20th of August, 1817, and the mother's on the 8th of January, 1821. The father was a farmer by occupation and was thus engaged until the time of his death, on the 6th of March, 1900. His wife survived until the 30th of July, 1905. In their family were eight children, two sons and six daughters. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hover were born nine children, as follows: Matilda, who was born February 5, 1870, and is now the wife of Edwin Quisel, a resident of Toronto, South Dakota; Clara Helena, born June 19, 1872, who is the wife of Edwin Nordheim, of Pleasant township; Amanda Elizabeth, who passed away in infancy; Edward H., who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume; Charles Elmer, born June 24, 1878, a resident of Newburg, Minnesota; Alice Sophia, born June 17, 1881, who is the widow of Albert Lodahl and with her daughter, Aletta Bernice, makes her home with her father; Lily Amanda, whose death occurred at the age of ten months; Idella Malvina, born February 14, 1886, who is a music teacher; and Alma Henrietta, who was born May 11, 1889, and engaged in school teaching.

A man of much public spirit, Mr. Hover has never allowed personal affairs to monopolize his time and attention to the exclusion of participation in matters relating to the public welfare, and his efforts in behalf of general progress have been potent factors in the growth and development of the community. He is a stanch supporter of the republican party and by reason of his personal worth has been called by his fellowmen to fill various positions of trust. For eight terms or sixteen years he served as township assessor, acted as trustee and also as justice of the peace for a number of years and also served as school director for some time. He was county supervisor for one term of three years and during his term of office the new courthouse was built. He readily cooperates in all movements and projects instituted for the betterment of his locality and the county at large, and his public-spirited course has won him a place of prominence and influence among his fellow citizens. Reared in the Methodist Episcopal faith, he is an active member and one of the pillars of that church, doing all in his power to further its influence. Mr. Hover inherited as a birthright many of the strong characteristics of the Norwegian race, and it is these sterling qualities that have brought him the well merited success which he now enjoys, while upright manhood and honorable principles have won in large measure the confidence and high regard of his fellowmen.

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

HENRY A. HOVER.

Henry A. Hover needs no introduction to the readers of a history of Winneshiek county, for his name has been known and honored in this part of Iowa since pioneer times and his worthy record has added greatly to the credit in which it has so long been held. Lie is one of the most progressive and able farmers in Pleasant township, his attractive homestead lying on section 8, being visible evidence of his thrift, energy and practical methods in its development. He is a native son of this township, born on a farm about one mile from his present property, on the 4th of April, 1868, his parents being Hover Evenson and Bertha (Larson) Hoyme, natives of Norway, the former born June 15, 1818, and the latter March 14, 1822. Their marriage occurred in that country about 1843 and five years later they crossed the Atlantic to America, settling first in Dane county, Wisconsin, where the father worked at the blacksmith's trade, which he had learned in the city of Bergen, Norway. In 1851, in company with about thirty families, the parents of the subject of this review journeyed overland with ox teams, locating in Pleasant township. Winneshiek county, Iowa, in the same year. Pioneer conditions prevailed everywhere, the land being covered with timber and unbroken and the prairies being sparsely settled. From that time until his death the father remained an honored and respected citizen of this vicinity, leading in all measures and movements for its progress and advancement and taking an active part in the foundation and upbuilding of some of its most notable institutions. He settled on a farm on section 5, Pleasant township, and upon his property built a blacksmith shop, which was the first of its kind in the northern half of Winneshiek county. In early times he operated this during the nights, the days being spent at hard labor, grubbing up the stumps upon his new farm and carrying forward the work of its improvement and cultivation. For a long period he made all the shoes and clothing worn by his family in addition to running the first threshing machine in the county and his indefatigable energy and untiring industry were at length rewarded by a gratifying degree of success. He accumulated large holdings in land, owning at one time three hundred, seventy-eight and a half acres, and he became known as one of the substantial and representative residents of the community which lie aided so greatly in upbuilding. Always an active religious worker, he was one of the organizers of the Methodist Episcopal church in Pleasant township and he contributed generously of his time and means to the erection of a church building. He and his wife were regular attendants for many years and in that faith the father died April 17, 1882, his passing taking from Winneshiek county one of its most valued pioneer settlers. His wife survived him for a number of years, dying October 11, 1892. In their family were fourteen children, five of whom are now living: Edwin, who resides in Pleasant township; Sarah, the wife of J. J. Kessey, of Forest City, Iowa; Isabel, who married J. J. Shervin, of Pleasant township; Lewis H.. of Wadena, Minnesota; and Henry A., of this review.

Henry A. Hover was born upon his father's homestead in Pleasant township and his childhood was spent amid pioneer conditions then prevailing. At an early age he aided in clearing, breaking and developing the farm and before he had attained his majority was a practical and able agriculturist, possessing a thorough knowledge of the best methods of farm operation. After reaching manhood he went to North Dakota, where he spent a few months, eventually returning to Winneshiek county and settling in Highlandville, where he became interested in the creamery business. With these exceptions, however, he has been farming in Pleasant township during all of his active life and he is today one of the substantial and progressive agriculturists of his native township. He purchased from his father's estate one hundred and sixty acres lying on section 8, Pleasant township, land upon which he had previously assisted in making all the improvements, and here he has since resided, his practical and systematic labors through the years having brought him a gratifying measure of success. For twelve years he operated one of the first steam threshing outfits in this section of the state, but he now gives practically all of his time to the development of his farm. He is treasurer of the Central Telephone Company and his energetic spirit and discriminating business ability have been important factors in the growth of that concern.

Mr. Hover has been twice married. He wedded first, July 6, 1892, Miss Maria Thompson, who was born in Chickasaw county, Iowa, on the 4th of April, 1874, a daughter of Ole and Soneva Thompson, natives of Norway, both of whom have passed away, the mother dying in 1882 and the father July 10, 1894. Mrs. Hover passed away November 8, 1893, leaving one daughter, Maria. On the ist of January, 1895, Mr. Hover was again married, his second wife being Miss Anna Thompson, who was born December 24, 1869. To this union were born nine children: Beulah Sylvia; Herbert Oliver; Alma Agnetta; Charlotte Amelia; Henry Sylvan; Charles Raymond, who died at the age of three and a half; Anna Olena; Cyrus Reginald; and Everett LeRoy.

Mr. Hover is a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has been honored by his fellow citizens by election to practically all the township offices, including township assessor and justice of the peace. He has been road superintendent and is at present school treasurer and he takes a great interest in the growth and progress of this section of the state, the development of which he has witnessed since the early days. He is well known and highly respected throughout his township, being reliable in business, loyal in citizenship and at all times public-spirited and progressive — a native son whose life record is a credit to a name held in high honor here since pioneer times.

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

EDWARD H. HOVER.

The progress of Winneshiek county — material, political, intellectual and moral — has found a champion in Edward H. Hover who, recognizing the fact that each has its place in the scheme of the world, has labored earnestly for the development of this section along all those lines, his efforts proving potent forces in the growth of the community in which his entire life has been spent. He was born on the old homestead adjoining his present place of residence on the 23d of April, 1876, a son of Edwin and Bertha Maria (Christian) Hover, natives of Norway who were brought to the United States in early life by their respective parents. They are mentioned at length on another page of this volume. The subject of this review was the third in order of birth and the eldest son in a family of nine children, of whom two passed away in infancy. The surviving members are: Matilda, the wife of Edwin Quisel, a resident of Toronto, South Dakota; Clara Helena, who married Edwin Nordhehn, of Pleasant township; Edward H., of this review; C. Elmer, residing at Newburg, Minnesota; Alice Sophia, the widow of Albert Lodahl, who makes her home with her father; Idella, also residing at home; and Alma, engaged in school teaching.

Upon the old homestead on which his grandfather located in pioneer days and which originally included his present home farm, Edward H. Hover was reared to manhood, devoting the period of his boyhood and youth to the acquirement of an education and the gaining of practical experience under the direction of his father. He early became acquainted with the best methods of farming, his training being thorough and comprehensive, and the lessons of energy, industry and thrift thus instilled into his mind have proven of vital importance in his subsequent success as an agriculturist. He remained at home with his father until his marriage, in 1900, when, wishing to take up farming independently, he purchased one hundred and twenty acres from his father, to the further improvement of which he has since given his attention. This tract, lying on sections 8 and 5. Pleasant township, is a part of the old home place and under his direction has been brought to a high state of cultivation. He engaged in general farming and stock-raising and, being progressive in his ideas and employing modern methods in the cultivation of his fields and the care of his live-stock, he has attained marked success, his well directed efforts being rewarded by a substantial annual income.

In 1900 Mr. Hover was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Thorson, who was born in Highland township, this county, on the 4th of January, 1874, a daughter of Ole and Anna Thorson, natives of Norway who came to Iowa at an early day. The father is deceased but the mother survives and makes her home in Highland township. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hover have been born two children, Maurice and Lucile.

Like his father, who is one of the honored and valued residents of this section, Mr. Hover has never given his attention exclusively to his individual affairs but has found time and opportunity to take an active part in the public life of the community and manifests a keen interest in all those projects which tend to promote the general welfare. His political views are in accordance with the principles of the republican party, and on that ticket he was elected to the office of township clerk, which he has occupied for the past eight years. For a number of years he served as president of the township school board, indicating his championship of the cause of education, and he is also a strong advocate of good roads, doing all in his power to further the work in that direction. He is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, believing that the moral development of a community should go hand in hand with its material and intellectual growth, and thus his efforts along various lines are proving of material value in the substantial improvement of Winneshiek county, which numbers him among her native sons.

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