Gilbert F. Steig
Gilbert F. Steig
Gilbert F. Steig, a retired farmer residing in Whitehall, Wis., was born in Biri, Norway, Sept. 25, 1849, a son of Frederick and Bertha (Jenson) Steig. The parents came to the United States in 1867, settling in Mindoro, La Crosse County, Wis., where they remained one year, afterwards moving to Trempealeau County. They died on the farm of their son, the subject of this sketch, the father March 28, 1888, and the mother, in March, 1897. Gilbert F. Steig bought his farm in section 23, Hale Township, this county, in 1870, when he was 21 years old, and resided there, operating the farm until the fall of 1898, when he was elected county sheriff, at which time he moved to Whitehall, which has since been his place of residence. After filling the office of sheriff two years he went into the hay and grain business, also conducting an elevator with Christ Torgerson (of Independence) at Whitehall, and this was his occupation until 1914, when he retired. He was treasurer of the Pigeon Mutual Fire Insurance Company for five years and has been president of the company since 1901. A considerable part of his time has been devoted to the public service. He was township superintendent four years, township treasurer five years, school clerk two years, school treasurer 18 years, and president of the village board of Whitehall four years, in all these offices rendering good and faithful service. Mr. Steig was married May 30, 1874, to Gelina M. Lewis, who was born in Norway May 22, 1854, daughter of Gilbert and Marie (Thomervolden) Lewis. Her parents came to the United States with their family in 1865, locating in Dane County, Wisconsin, where they spent three years. They then removed to a farm in section 14, Hale Township, Trempealeau County, on which place the mother died in 1894, and the father ten years later, in 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Steig have eight children: Frederick, now a farmer in Bowman, N. D.; Gustav M., who graduated from the Whitehall high school and the W. B. University of La Crosse, and is now a merchant at Church’s Ferry, N. D.; Benonie I., a merchant at Edmond, N. D.; Minnie, who graduated from Stevens Point normal school, was a teacher two years, and is now the wife of Martin Swenson, a merchant of Esmond, N. D.; Louise, also a graduate of Stevens Point normal school, who was a teacher six years, and is now the wife of C. P. Larson, a banker of Eleva, Wis.; Josephine, a graduate in the class of 1907 of the University of Wisconsin, and who is now teacher of mathematics in the Kenosha (Wis.) schools; Olga, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, class of 1914, who is a teacher of German in the Kenosha (Wis.) schools, and George C., a graduate of Whitehall high school and the W. B. University of La Crosse, Wis., who is assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Lakota, N. D. It will be seen that Mr. Steig has given his children a good education and that they are making a good use of it to their own advantage and the credit of their parents.
(from HISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY WISCONSIN
Compiled by Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Edited by Eben Douglas Pierce, M.D.
H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co.
Chicago and Winona 1917)
Gilbert F. Steig, a retired farmer residing in Whitehall, Wis., was born in Biri, Norway, Sept. 25, 1849, a son of Frederick and Bertha (Jenson) Steig. The parents came to the United States in 1867, settling in Mindoro, La Crosse County, Wis., where they remained one year, afterwards moving to Trempealeau County. They died on the farm of their son, the subject of this sketch, the father March 28, 1888, and the mother, in March, 1897. Gilbert F. Steig bought his farm in section 23, Hale Township, this county, in 1870, when he was 21 years old, and resided there, operating the farm until the fall of 1898, when he was elected county sheriff, at which time he moved to Whitehall, which has since been his place of residence. After filling the office of sheriff two years he went into the hay and grain business, also conducting an elevator with Christ Torgerson (of Independence) at Whitehall, and this was his occupation until 1914, when he retired. He was treasurer of the Pigeon Mutual Fire Insurance Company for five years and has been president of the company since 1901. A considerable part of his time has been devoted to the public service. He was township superintendent four years, township treasurer five years, school clerk two years, school treasurer 18 years, and president of the village board of Whitehall four years, in all these offices rendering good and faithful service. Mr. Steig was married May 30, 1874, to Gelina M. Lewis, who was born in Norway May 22, 1854, daughter of Gilbert and Marie (Thomervolden) Lewis. Her parents came to the United States with their family in 1865, locating in Dane County, Wisconsin, where they spent three years. They then removed to a farm in section 14, Hale Township, Trempealeau County, on which place the mother died in 1894, and the father ten years later, in 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Steig have eight children: Frederick, now a farmer in Bowman, N. D.; Gustav M., who graduated from the Whitehall high school and the W. B. University of La Crosse, and is now a merchant at Church’s Ferry, N. D.; Benonie I., a merchant at Edmond, N. D.; Minnie, who graduated from Stevens Point normal school, was a teacher two years, and is now the wife of Martin Swenson, a merchant of Esmond, N. D.; Louise, also a graduate of Stevens Point normal school, who was a teacher six years, and is now the wife of C. P. Larson, a banker of Eleva, Wis.; Josephine, a graduate in the class of 1907 of the University of Wisconsin, and who is now teacher of mathematics in the Kenosha (Wis.) schools; Olga, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, class of 1914, who is a teacher of German in the Kenosha (Wis.) schools, and George C., a graduate of Whitehall high school and the W. B. University of La Crosse, Wis., who is assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Lakota, N. D. It will be seen that Mr. Steig has given his children a good education and that they are making a good use of it to their own advantage and the credit of their parents.
(from HISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY WISCONSIN
Compiled by Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Edited by Eben Douglas Pierce, M.D.
H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co.
Chicago and Winona 1917)