Ole Pederson

As printed in 1916

OLE PEDERSON.

( )le Pederson, although a resident of Otter Tail county, Minnesota, for over forty years, is not a native, having been born in Trondhjem, Norway, on March 5, 1849. His father, Peder Iversen Leraad, followed farming for years in his native land. Ole Pederson is the sixth son of a family of eight boys born to Peder Jverson Leraad and Kari Esmor, both of whom were born in Norway. The father was born in 1805, and died in 1863. The mother was born in 181 3, and died in 1898. The couple reared an interesting family: Iver, the eldest son. died at the old home place in Norway; the second son, also called Iver, now lives in Norway, where he is a farmer; the next three sons, in the line of birth, died when they were small; Ole was the sixth son; the two boys who were born last in line, died when they were young.

The rudimentary branches of education were received by Ole Pederson in the public schools of Norway. In 1870 he came to America, where he landed alone and practically without friends. His first choice of residence was in Dodge county, Wisconsin, where he worked on the farms in that locality. In the fall of 1871 he came to Otter Tail county. The trip as far as Breckenridge was made by rail, and the remaining miles were covered on foot. Upon his arrival in the county where he now lives he settled in < >sc.ir township, where he took up the task of homesteading one hundred and sixty acres of land, located in sections 2 and 3. The section of the township in which he settled was an uncultivated tract of prairie land and the first few years, during which the breaking of the soil was the principal occupation, were studded with events of adversity and danger. It was in the time of the greatest trials that Ole Pederson showed his highest traits of character. He grappled with primeval conditions with fearlessness, and the prosperity enjoyed by him today is a direct consequence of his early endeavors. In i88t he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in sections 28 and 29, Trondhjem township, and took up his residence in that part of the county. He sold the old homestead upon which, in the earlier days, a log cabin had been erected by him, and purchased eighty acres of land adjoining his new residence. Upon the farm where he now lives. Mr. Pederson follows the occupation of general farming. He believes thoroughly in modern improvements and his farm land gives evidence of this fact. The buildings are large and attractive and the fences exhibit capable farm management. Mr. Pederson has not been content with having the farm interests engage his attention, but has given both time and study to other lines of business enterprise. He was director of the creamery, formerly located in Trondhjem township, and is at the present time director of the Oscar Fanners Mutual Insurance Company. In politics, he has always taken more than the usual interest. In the beginning of his political career, Mr. Pederson followed the cause of the Populist party, but later turned to the principles of the Republican party. He now serves as treasurer of the township and treasurer of the school board.

In 1874 Ole Pederson was united in marriage to Kari Wee, also a native of Norway, who was born in that country in 1850. She is the daughter of Erick Olsen Wee and his wife Margaret, who are numbered among the oldest settlers of Trondhjem township, having been residents of that section of Otter Tail county since 1872. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Pederson the following children have been born: Caroline, who married Harman Rud, and who is now living in Rothsay, Minnesota: Eric, who lives on a farm in North Dakota: Petrina. the wife of Ole Tetrud, is now living in Rothsay. Minnesota: Ida, who married Iver Nelson, resides in Rothsay; Peter, who lives on the old home place: August, who died in his thirty-second year; Petrina, who died when two years old, and the youngest son. Oscar, died at the age of six months. Mr. and Mrs. Pederson are both devout members of the Lutheran Synod church and contribute generously to every cause for its welfare.

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.