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Emmet County, Iowa
Biographies
E - F
Unless otherwise noted, these biographies were taken from the History of Emmet County and Dickinson County Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, The Pioneer Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1917.
E - F
Eckhart, Chris
Egertson, Erik
Egertson, Halvor
Ellerston, Edward H.
Erickson, Arthur E.
Espeset Family
Floyd, Margie
Additional Emmet County Biographies: A-B, C-D,
G-H, I-J, K-L,
M-N, O-P, Q-R,
S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z.
Return to Biography Index
Since removing to Armstrong from his farm Chris Eckhart has conducted a horse and auto livery and has proved very successful in the management of his business interests. A native of Illinois, he was born in Lee county on the 17th of April, 1862, a son of Henry and Martha (Motz) Eckhart, who removed from German to America many years ago. The father purchased land in Lee county, Illinois, and engaged in farming there until his death in 1876. He was survived for many years by his widow, who died in October, 1913.
Chris Eckhart was reared and educated in Lee county, Illinois, and remained with his mother until he became of age, when he removed westward to Tama county, Iowa. He rented land there until 1892, when he arrived in Emmet county and bought land in Lincoln township. The farm was unimproved when it came into his possession, but as the years passed he made it one of the best developed farms of his locality, devoting his entire attention to its operation until February, 1916, when he sold the place and came to Armstrong. He has since conducted a horse and auto delivery and derives a good income from his business. He likewise owns stock in the Farmers Elevator Company of Armstrong and the Farmers Savings Bank at Dolliver.
In 1895 Mr. Eckhart was united in marriage to Miss Lena Bloss, who died in 1898, leaving two children, Fred and Mary, both still at home. On the 17th of December, 1900, Mr. Eckhart was married to Miss Henrietta Sievers and they had two children, but both died in infancy.
Mr. Eckhart is a strong republican and has discharged to the full the duties devolving upon him as a good citizen but has never been an office seeker. He is in sympathy with the work of all the churches, but has never been identified with any one denomination. He is characterized by broad-mindedness, enterprise and strict honesty and is justly held in high esteem by all who know him.
Halvor Egertson, a well known and representative farmer of Twelve Mile Lake township, Emmet county, resides on section 2. He was born in Norway, November 26, 1851, a son of Egert and Gro Erikson, who always remained residents of Norway, never coming to the new world. The father was both a farmer and a mason. In the family were seven children, six sons and a daughter.
Halvor Egertson attended district schools in his native county and in 1881, when in is thirtieth year, crossed the Atlantic to the Untied States, making his way at once to Iowa. Taking up his abode in Emmet county, he worked on a farm until 1888 and during that period carefully saved his earnings until his industry and economy had brought him enough capital to enable him to purchase land. He then became owner of the south half of the northeast quarter of section 2, Twelve Mile Lake township, and afterward purchased forty acres adjoining his farm on the south, thus making it a tract of one hundred and twenty acres which he has since carefully and successfully conducted. He now has a well improved farm property and the practical and progressive methods which he follows in cultivating his fields result in winning substantial harvests.
In 1876 Mr. Egertson was united in marriage to Miss Christie Nestergard, a daughter of Lars and Bertha Nestergard, also natives of Norway. To Mr. and Mrs. Egertson were born seven children: Erik; Louis and Gundy, both at home; Stephen, deceased; Belle, at home; Helene, now the wife of A. H. Gunderson, of Twelve Mile Lake township; and Emma, the wife of John Nelson, who is living in Wallingford, Iowa.
The parents are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church and guide their lives according to its teachings. In his political views Mr. Egertson is a republican and has held a number of township offices, to which he has been called by his fellow townsmen, who recognize his loyalty and progressiveness in matters of citizenship. He has won success through hard work, earnest effort and persistency of purpose and is now one of the substantial agriculturists of the community.
His eldest son, Erik Egertson, was born in Norway, January 29, 1877, and was therefore a little lad of four years when his parents came to the new world. At the usual age he entered the district schools, in which he pursued his education until he reached the age of sixteen. He then began working for his father on the home farm and also followed carpentering until he reached the age of twenty-six. In the meantime, or when he had attained his majority, he purchased the west half of the southeast quarter of section 2, Twelve Mile Lake township, and five years later he began farming upon that tract of land. He has since given his attention to general agricultural pursuits and has followed progressive methods in all that he has undertaken, transforming his place into a highly improved and productive farm.
In 1903 Eric Egertson was married to Miss Sophia Myhre, a daughter of Ole and Gunild (Brunweld) Myhre, Center township, Emmet county. They have five children: Hagbert, Oswald, Ernest, Kermit and Lauritz. Erik Egertson has served as school director and, like his father, is interested in all those forces which tend to advance the welfare and progress of his community. At the same time he is, like his father, a representative agriculturist of his section of the county, leading a life of honorable activity fraught with good results.
Many of the substantial citizens of Emmet county are of Norwegian birth or ancestry and possess the sterling traits of that hardy race who have ever been characterized by industry and reliability. Among the number in Emmet county is Edward H. Ellerston, who was born in Chicago on the 14th of December, 1868, a son of Christian and Jennie (Jensen) Ellertson, who were natives of Norway. After coming to the new world the father became captain of a commission boat on Lake Michigan but later removed to Iowa and engaged in the milling business at Norway, Benton county, taking up his abode there when his son Edward was but a year old. He continued his residence there until about 1890, when he returned to the old country, where he died. Later his widow came to Estherville, where she is now living.
Edward H. Ellerston has practically been a lifelong resident of Iowa and in the district schools he pursued his education to the age of fifteen years. He worked at different vocations for ten years and when a young man of twenty-five years came to Emmet county, where he invested his savings in land, becoming the owner of the north half of section 25, Emmet township. He still owns this property, comprising three hundred and twenty acres of rich and productive land which he has carefully cultivated throughout all the intervening years, converting the tract into well tilled fields which are divided by well built fences. He has good buildings upon his farm and is leading a most busy life in the further cultivation of the land in the production of those cereals which are best adapted to soil and climate.
In 1893 Mr. Ellertson was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary Johnson, a daughter of John and Mary Johnson, of Norway, Iowa. Their four children, Irving, Ruby, Verna and Leona, all are attending the Estherville schools and reside with their paternal grandmother. In his political views Mr. Ellertson has always been a republican and is now filling the office of road superintendent. He belongs to the Episcopal church and his entire life is in harmony with his professions. He has ever been found honorable and upright and thoroughly reliable in his business connections, and those who know him entertain for him warm personal regard.
Source: History of Emmet County and Dickinson County Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, The Pioneer Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1917, page 138.
Estherville, with its varied and growing business enterprises, may well be proud of the one which Arthur E. Erickson has developed in its midst, for he is there conducting the finest photographic studio in northwestern Iowa. Familiar with all the latest processes and improvements of photography, his work ranks with the best to be found in the larger cities and at all times he keeps abreast with the highest standards of the art. A native of Illinois, he was born at Kensington, Chicago, May 23, 1885, his parents being Lars August and Johanna Mathilde Erickson, both of whom were natives of Orebro, Sweden. They became residents of Chicago in 1871 and the father was employed on the building of the foundation for the Pullman car shops at Pullman, Illinois, where he has worked continuously since. In 1917, however, he will be pensioned by the company as a recognition of long, capable and faithful service. His wife died in 1900.
Arthur E. Erickson acquired his education in the West Pullman school, from which he was graduated on the 23d of June, 1899. He took up the study of photography and became a traveling photographer, in which connection he traversed the country from Canada to Texas. Continually he has progressed in his chosen field of labor and the excellence of his work has been the basis of his growing success until now he is owner Of the finest photographic studio in northwestern Iowa. He has been located at Estherville since 1915, drawing his patronage from a wide territory.
On the 1st of October, 1913, at Linn Grove, Iowa, Mr. Erickson was united in marriage to Miss Mabel May Reese, her parents being Mr. and Henry Reese, of that place. They now have a daughter, Enid. In his fraternal connections Mr. Erickson is a Mason and exemplifies in his life beneficent spirit of the craft. He also belongs to the Photographers Association of America. He is ever actuated by laudable ambition and has that keen interest and delight in his work which is always the of successful accomplishment.
The name Espeset has been well known in Emmet county and has been associated here with integrity, ability, and public spirit for more than fifty years, or eve since the arrival within the county of Knute Espeset, who was one of the early settlers, coming in 1865. He was long prominent in business and political circles of the community. His attention was first given to farming and subsequently he engaged in the farm implement and hardware business, becoming one of the foremost as well as one of the early merchants of the county. He also figured prominently in connection with political interests and held the office of county sheriff and county treasurer. His son, James Espeset, was a native of Allamakee county, but was reared upon the home farm near Estherville and in early manhood took up the profession of teaching. At one time he served as deputy county treasurer and was also deputy postmaster. Later he entered the employ of the Estherville State Bank, with which institution he was identified for quarter of a century, being the cashier thereof at the time of his retirement in 1910. Since then he has devoted his attention to the abstract business. He married Edith Graves, who was born in Winneshiek county, Iowa, but was reared in Emmet county, having been brought to this county during her infancy by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Graves. Her father was one of the founders of Estherville and became the pioneer banker of this section of the state. Mrs. Espeset has always been prominent in church work and social activities and is a member of the P. E. O., the Eastern Star and the Daughters of the American Revolution.
From such ancestry comes Howard Espeset, a son of James Espeset, and fortunate is he that his lines of life have been cast in harmony with the untarnished family record. He was born in Estherville, April 2, 1882, and attended the Estherville public schools, being graduated from the high school with the class 1898, after which he studied for a year at Parsons College in Fairfield Iowa, and for three years in the State University of Iowa at Iowa City, being graduated from the latter institution in 1902, at which time the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy was conferred upon him. He then entered the field of baking and continued to occupy the position of assistant cashier of the Estherville Sate Bank until 1912. Since that time he has been engaged in the abstract business with the firm Graves & Espeset. This firm was established by Howard Graves in an early day, and as the county records were burned in the courthouse fire of 1876, the only evidence of title to lands in Emmet county prior to that time is found in the old abstract books used by this firm.
In 1910, in California, Mr. Espeset was joined in wedlock to Miss Marie Thomas of Las Vegas, Nevada. Mrs. Espeset is interested in church activities and in women's club work. Mr. Espeset holds membership in the Presbyterian church and he is a member of the Masonic and Elks lodges at Estherville and of the Estherville Commercial Club. In politics he has always been a republican and for some time gas been actively identified with the work of the party in Emmet county, but has never sought nor desired public office. He is interested in all that pertains to the welfare and upbuilding of city and county, however, and for a number of years was a member of the city library board. His influence is always on the side of progress and improvement and his entire career has been actuated by high and honorable purposes, his life measuring up to advanced standards of manhood and citizenship.
CC Notes: James Espeset (died 1917) and wife Edith Graves Espeset (died 1929) are buried in East Side cemetery, Estherville. Their son, Howard Espeset (died 1950) is also buried in East Side cemetery.
Howard Graves and wife Mary Blackman Graves, parents of Edith Graves Espeset are buried in East Side Cemetery. See Emmet county Obits for obituaries of Howard and Mary Graves.
[Contributor note: Margie Myrtle (Gibbs) FLOYD]
Mrs. Margie Floyd was born in 1885 on the now Mary Dundas farm, "when there was no town here at all."
"People had to go to Estherville for everything " Mrs. Floyd said.
"When I was born, my grandmother came in a sled, wrapped my mother and I in quilts, and took us to her place. There were no doctors here then."
Her mother and her parents, the Matthew Richmonds, came to Armstrong in a covered wagon from Lansing, Michigan having started originally from Canada.
Mrs. Floyd stayed at her grandparents while going to school in one of the few-and-far-between one-room country schoolhouses in the area. She walked one and one half miles to school daily, she said.
Spelling bees used to be held at the country schoolhouses. This, she believes, is how her parents met.
She met her future husband, William while she was the assistant postmaster and her husband the local band director. They were married in 1906.
William Floyd directed municipal bands in Estherville, Washington state, and North Dakota before he and Mrs. Floyd returned here in 1932 because of Mr. Floyd's poor health. He died in 1937.
"There are so many empty buildings here now," she said.
Mrs. Floyd is a lifelong member of the Presbyterian church, but stopped going three years ago.
"It's hard for me to walk, But I enjoy listening to it on radio."
Contributed by: Jim Richmond. Source: The Diamond Jubilee Supplement of the Armstrong Journal, Armstrong, Iowa, 4 July 1968.
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