Nels L. Fredrickson
Nels L. Fredrickson
Nels L. Fredrickson, agriculturist, public official and man of affairs, is one of the leading citizens of the county. He did most efficient service as county sheriff in 1893-94, as under-sheriff in 1895-96, and as county treasurer in 1907-11, and since the spring of 1914 has been a prominent member of the county board, sitting as the member from Whitehall, which village he has served for two years as president. The career that has involved this unusual amount of public work has been a most interesting one. The son of Fredrick Nelson and Isabella Larson, he was born in Christiania, Norway, Jan. 26, 1856, and after the death of his father, at the age of 10 he was brought to this country with the rest of the family, by his mother and step-father, George Reitzel. After a year in Ettrick, he came with the family to Preston Township, and was here reared to agricultural pursuits. In 1877 he started out for himself by securing employment in the lumber and machinery business with C. N. Paine & Co. at Whitehall, remaining two and a half years. For a number of years he was in the hardware business. He had a part in the building of the block on the site of what is now the Model Block, later destroyed by fire. Upon his election as sheriff he moved to the official residence and at the expiration of his term purchased his present farm, where he has since continued to reside. The place consists of nearly a quarter of a section in the southeast corner of the village of Whitehall, and is a modern farm in every particular. He has a fine herd of high-grade Holstein cattle, a good drove of Poland-China hogs, and makes a specialty of breeding Brown Leghorn chickens. His interest in his herd led to his connection with the Whitehall Creamery Association, which he served for a time as president, and of which he has been secretary and manager since 1914. The success of this institution is a strong tribute to Mr. Fredrickson's management. With all his busy work, he has found time for the development of his social qualities, and has taken a deep interest, passing through the chairs of the local order, serving as district deputy, and sitting as a member of the Grand Lodge of the State. Mr. Fredrickson has been excellently described as a useful citizen. Combining a genial disposition with sterling worth and an ability to make friends, he has won his way in the world and has achieved a most satisfactory degree of success. Mr. Fredrickson was married Nov. 6, 1896, to Mary Allen, who died Nov. 3, 1902. Her parents were Martin and Elizabeth (Ackerman) Allen, the former of whom is dead and the latter of whom is proprietor of the Allen Hotel at Whitehall. On Jan. 1, 1910, Mr. Fredrickson married Sigrid Kildahl, who was born in Norway, daughter of Ole and Martha Kildahl. Mr. and Mrs. Fredrickson have four children: Isadora M., born Oct. 6, 1910; Sigrid L., May 27, 1912; Nels L., Jr., May 11, 1914, and Junice Waunita, June 14, 1917.
(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)
Nels L. Fredrickson, agriculturist, public official and man of affairs, is one of the leading citizens of the county. He did most efficient service as county sheriff in 1893-94, as under-sheriff in 1895-96, and as county treasurer in 1907-11, and since the spring of 1914 has been a prominent member of the county board, sitting as the member from Whitehall, which village he has served for two years as president. The career that has involved this unusual amount of public work has been a most interesting one. The son of Fredrick Nelson and Isabella Larson, he was born in Christiania, Norway, Jan. 26, 1856, and after the death of his father, at the age of 10 he was brought to this country with the rest of the family, by his mother and step-father, George Reitzel. After a year in Ettrick, he came with the family to Preston Township, and was here reared to agricultural pursuits. In 1877 he started out for himself by securing employment in the lumber and machinery business with C. N. Paine & Co. at Whitehall, remaining two and a half years. For a number of years he was in the hardware business. He had a part in the building of the block on the site of what is now the Model Block, later destroyed by fire. Upon his election as sheriff he moved to the official residence and at the expiration of his term purchased his present farm, where he has since continued to reside. The place consists of nearly a quarter of a section in the southeast corner of the village of Whitehall, and is a modern farm in every particular. He has a fine herd of high-grade Holstein cattle, a good drove of Poland-China hogs, and makes a specialty of breeding Brown Leghorn chickens. His interest in his herd led to his connection with the Whitehall Creamery Association, which he served for a time as president, and of which he has been secretary and manager since 1914. The success of this institution is a strong tribute to Mr. Fredrickson's management. With all his busy work, he has found time for the development of his social qualities, and has taken a deep interest, passing through the chairs of the local order, serving as district deputy, and sitting as a member of the Grand Lodge of the State. Mr. Fredrickson has been excellently described as a useful citizen. Combining a genial disposition with sterling worth and an ability to make friends, he has won his way in the world and has achieved a most satisfactory degree of success. Mr. Fredrickson was married Nov. 6, 1896, to Mary Allen, who died Nov. 3, 1902. Her parents were Martin and Elizabeth (Ackerman) Allen, the former of whom is dead and the latter of whom is proprietor of the Allen Hotel at Whitehall. On Jan. 1, 1910, Mr. Fredrickson married Sigrid Kildahl, who was born in Norway, daughter of Ole and Martha Kildahl. Mr. and Mrs. Fredrickson have four children: Isadora M., born Oct. 6, 1910; Sigrid L., May 27, 1912; Nels L., Jr., May 11, 1914, and Junice Waunita, June 14, 1917.
(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)