Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/975

 1IISTOKY OF GOODHUE COUNTY Norway, who came to America in 1854 Locating In Wisconsin, where they lived for three years after which they came to Minnesota and located in Cherry Grove township where the} gradually acquired extensive tracts of farming lands. On liieir first purchase of 120 acres they erected a borne, barn and other out buildings, and carried on general farming. They retired in 1896, purchasing a home in Kenyon, where the father died in 1897 and the mother in L906. At the time of his marriage (John J. Quam to Cecelia Fardahl as before mentioned, they received from the latter's father, .lens A. Pardahl a 160 acre farm where they carried on general farming and extensive dairying also raising horses and cattle. They qow own 610 acres, which is al- most all under cultivation, and most of which was formerly of the -lens A. Fardah] estate. .Mr. and .Mrs. Quam have thirteen children: Christina, (deceased), Christina, married to Charles Steberg of Wanamingo; .lens living at home; Annie married to Peter Langeins.s Living in Cherry Grove; -John E., Living in Cherry Grove, Henry Selma, Clarence. Gena, Arthur. Gerhard, Jeanette and Alfred all living at home. Mr. Quam is a Republic- an in his politics and tin- family attends the Norwegian Lutheran church. Osten E. Skaar, pioneer farmer of Cherry Grove township, was horn in Lyster. Norway, Nov. 11. 1823. and after spending his boyhood and youngmanhood in that country came to America in 1854. After Living in Wisconsin a short time he came to Good- hue with the early settlers and took up a homestead in Cherry Grove township, where he at once built a home. In 1859 he was married to Mari Bareness, born in Sogndal, Norway, August 10, 1840. She came to Chicago in 1855 and remained a short time with her uncle. Ole Anfmson. with whom she removed to Wana- mingo township, this county, one year later. The uncle took up a homestead, upon which he and his niece resided until her mar- riage. In 1859, at the beginning of their long and happy life together. Mr. and Mrs. Skaar took up their residence in a sod roof shanty. Soon however, Mr. Skaar erected a good sized, two story log house, but misfortune overtook them and the house was burned to the ground, entailing a total loss. It was 1866, before he was able to rebuild, but in that year he erected a comfortable 20x28 two story house which has since been the home of the family. Besides carrying on general farming, he was a blacksmith and did repairing for himself and for his neighbors. For several years he conducted a horse-power thresher in part- nership, with neighbors. Some of the finest horses in the county at that time, were raised on his farm. Osten E. Skaar died October 8, 1898. He had nine children: Martha lives at home: Gertrude M. married Hans E. Isaacson and lives in Minneapolis: