Peder Kvislen as born at Ringebu, Norway on May 21, 1864, the son of Ole and Ingeborg Kvislen, who were farmers in Norway. At the age of seventeen, Peder came alone to the United States and went first to Canby, Minnesota., where he worked as a farm hand and railroad section worker in the Canby area.

About 1884 he married Anna Sletten at Canby, Minnesota, and shortly after acquired some farm land for himself. He farmed this land as well as continuing to work for the railroad during the idle farming months of the winter. Before migrating from Canby to the Minot, North Dakota, area, he became the father of six children: Olaf, Ida, Clara, Adolph, Emil and Elmer, who, at the time of this writing, are all deceased.

About 1890 he left the farm in the Minot area and returned to Canby to continue farming. Shortly thereafter his wife, Anna, passed away and on November 27, 1900, Peder married Ella Satternes Olson. About 1902 the family moved to a farm in Barnes County located about one and three fourths miles northwest of Sanborn, North Dakota. When the Kvislens moved near Sanborn, they had eight children, six by Peder's first marriage and two by his second marriage. The first two children by the second marriage were born at Canby, namely: Mabel, deceased, and Oscar. The other three children of Peder's second marriage are: Edna, Inga and Arthur. Peder and his wife, Ella, also reared a grandson, Elmo Kvislen, as their own.

Peder and his family farmed successfully on this farm for almost forty years, then retired to a home which they had purchased in Sanborn. Feder passed away at the age of 79 and his wife Ella, at the age of 78.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 133