History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Anderson, Isaac proprietor of "Anderson's Farm" in Section 13, town of Conover, is one of the best known citizens of his town and is deservedly esteemed as a man of industry, ability and good character, by means of which qualities he has won his way back to his present high position in the community. He was born in Finland, June 4, 1873, and was educated in his native land. At the age of 16, in 1890, he came to the United States, locating first at Blassberg, Pa., where he found employment in the coal mines. A year later he left there and went to Bessemer, Mich., where he worked in the iron mines until 1898. It was while living in that place that he was married, Sept. 28, 1896, to Matilda LILLROSE, like himself a native of Finland, born Sept. 30, 1875, who had come to America in 1894. In 1898 Mr. ANDERSON tried a different kind of mining, going to Colorado, where until 1902, or for about four years, he worked in gold, silver and copper mines. Then with his wife and family he made a trip to Finland to visit his old home. After an absence of 14 months they returned to the United States, locating in Iron County, Wisconsin, where he was employed in mines until 1909. It was in that year that he changed his occupation from mining to farming, coming to Vilas County and settling on his present place, which he bought in 1903. It was an unimproved piece of property, of little value at the time, as the surrounding country was wild, without roads, and the land itself was covered with stumps, brush and some hardwood timber. Consequently the task before him was a hard one and had to be attacked in a spirit of earnestness and determination, in which qualities, fortunately, he was not lacking. The result of his labor-not forgetting the material assistance of his good wife and helpmate-may be seen in his present farm of 80 acres, with its convenient and substantial buildings, the lowing cattle in the fields, and the bountiful crops which in season cover the 20 acres which he has cleared and tilled, all a gratifying contrast to conditions at the start. His first barn, for instance, was a dug-out sided up on the inside with logs, and with logs laid across the top covered with balsam brush and with earth over that. That primitive structure he used three years; then a better building took its place and in 1918 he built a fine new residence of nine rooms, measuring 26x36 feet in ground dimensions. He carries on mixed farming and dairying, and also raises potatoes, which are his principle activities, and he is a stockholder in the Farmers' Produce Co. of Eagle River. He has his own electric plant for illuminating his residence, having installed it in 1922. On his marriage to Matilda LILLROSE, previously mentioned, there have been born six children: Jennie, born July 24, 1898, who is a graduate of the Whitewater State Normal School and a principal of graded schools; Ellen, born March 30, 1902, who is also a teacher; Waldemar, born April 29, 1905; Gerda, born oct. 23, 1907; Ewald, born March 11, 1913; and Inez, born Aug. 11, 1916. The family are members of the Swedish Lutheran Church in the town of Conover, which Mr. ANDERSON formerly served on the board of trustees, and he also belongs to the Runeberg Order, which is a Swede-Finnish order.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 411-412 (with picture), History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others 1924, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co

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