EKHOLM, OTTO E.

EKHOLM, ANDERSON, JENSEN, TEGELBERG, BROMARK

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 4/28/2004 at 15:46:02

Biography reproduced from page 649 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Otto E. Ekholm, who is successfully engaged in general farming and stock-raising on Section 10; Seneca township, was born on the place where he now resides on the 25th of June, 1887. His parents are Peter Victor and Gustave (Anderson) Ekholm, both natives of Sweden, who are mentioned at greater length elsewhere in this work. Our subject is the seventh in order of birth in a family of eight, the others being as follows: Philip Victor, who passed away in 1909; Louis G., who is farming in the vicinity of Forest City, Iowa; Lydia, who is living at home with her parents; Ena, the wife of Otto Jensen, a farmer of Seneca township; Conrad, deceased; Minnie, who is clerking in a store at Seneca; and Effie, a teacher of Seneca township, who is residing at home.

The boyhood and youth of Otto E. Ekholm were similar to those of other lads who were reared in the rural sections of Iowa at that period. He obtained his education in school No. 2, Seneca township, and while engaged is mastering the common branches of learning was fitting himself for an agricultural career by assisting his father about the farm. When the latter retired from active work in 1909 and removed to Swea City, our subject and his brother L. G. rented the homestead and engaged in cooperative farming for a year. At the expiration of that period he assumed the management of the entire place, which he has since been operating alone. He is diligent and enterprising as well as practical in his methods and is directing his undertakings in an intelligent and systematic manner, meeting with a corresponding degree of success. The farm is comprised of two hundred and forty acres, the greater portion of which is under cultivation and annually yields abundant harvests.

On the 29th of March, 1911, Mr. Ekholm completed his arrangements for a home of his own by his marriage to Miss Nettie Tegelberg, a daughter of Carl and Hilda (Bromark) Tegelberg, natives of Sweden, whose biography appears elsewhere in this work, and to them have been born a son, Carl Melvin Victor, whose natal day was February 1, 1912.

Mr. and Mrs. Ekholm attend the services of the Swedish Baptist church of Swea township, in which the latter holds membership. Fraternally he is a member of Homestead No. I, Brotherhood of American Yeomen, while in politics he is republican and is now serving his first term as road supervisor. Mr. Ekholm is a diligent and persevering young man of clear judgment, who is directing his interests with the determination of purpose that invariably results in prosperity.