In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1876, Sverdrup township
From History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1916)
CARL K. PEDERSON.
Carl K. Pederson is a native of this county, having been born in Sverdrup township, March 18, 1876, son of Knud and Marit (Gulbranstad Datter Onstad) Pederson, the former born at Aaberg and the latter at Onstad, Valdris, Norway. They were friends from early life and were married in their native land, coming to this country in 1866. They located in Mower county, this state, where for some three years he worked at farm labor and other things, and in 1870 came to this county and settled on a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Sverdrup township. His farm was mostly wild land and he set about clearing it and getting it ready for the plow and also erected most of the buildings which are standing on the tract today, lie purchased additional land from time to time until at his death, in November of 1903. he owned three hundred and twenty-eight acres. The mother died some years previous — in July of 1896, and the father never remarried. Knud Pederson was a man who took a most active interest in political affairs. Originally a member of the Farmers Alliance, he later became a Populist and was filling one office or another over a goodly stretch of years. He served as county commissioner of the third district for thirteen years in succession and filled many other local offices. In addition to this, he served two terms as a member of the state Legislature ( 1897-190 1 and was always actively interested in the political issues of the day. Both Knud Pederson and his wife embraced the Lutheran faith (members of the Xorwegian church) and were active in religious circles.
Carl K. Pederson is a member of a fami of nine children, being the sixth child in order of birth. Peter, the eldest, is a farmer living on the old homestead; Edward died in ioo_>; Matilda lives in Seattle, Washington, the wife of Ferdinand De Flon; Dinah and Geline are both deceased; Gilbert is a farmer of this county, living about five miles north of Underwood; Clara lives in Oregon, the wife of Ole Nygaard, and Ella, the youngest of the family, is the wife of a Mr. Parson, and lives in Seattle, Washington. Carl K. Pederson received his education in the public schools of this county, attending district No. 5, in the little old log school house located on his father's farm. He was raised on the farm and after school days were over he followed that vocation until [902, when he became a stockholder in the Farmers Mercantile Corporation and at the same time took a clerkship in the company's store under its manager, C. J. Moen, a sketch of whose life appears elsewhere in the pages of this hook. This relationship continues to the present time and Mr. Pederson now holds a responsible position. having long since demonstrated the fact that he possesses those qualities which especially lit him to water to the needs of the public. With his brother, Peter, Mr. Pederson purchased the old homestead and together they (In general farming and give especial attention to the raising of live stock for the market.
Mr. Pederson is independent in politics, but has never given the time to that phase of citizenship which his father gave. He is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America and both be and his wife hold their religious membership in the Norwegian Lutheran church. Mrs. Pederson, before her marriage in 1903, was Marie Nygaard, daughter of Lars and Ingeborg Nygaard, both natives of Norway, who came to this country in the early eighties, Marie being born not long after they settled in this country. Mr. and Mrs. Pederson have two children, Kenneth and Irvin. The family is considered among the representative families of this section and move in the best social circles. Mr. Pederson, because of his business connection, has a wide acquaintance throughout this part of the county and is universally liked.
As printed in History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1916). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1916. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.