Thorkel A. Thorkelson was born in Norway October 8, 1860, son of Arnfin and Ambjorg (Wangen) Thorkelson, in whose family were two children. The father was a school teacher and followed that profession in Norway for forty years. At the age of twelve Thorkel was sent to Christiania (Norway) where he entered the high school and later took a course at the Agricultural College where he completed his education in the fall of 1880.
In October of that year Mr. Thorkelson came to the United States and stopped at Fayette county, Iowa, and then went to Minnesota where he worked on a farm for some time. In the spring of 1881 he accepted a position with the F. A. Theopold of Fairbault, Minnesota, in whose employ he remained until the following spring which witnessed his arrival in Valley City, North Dakota. First he worked on a farm and then in the employ of Parkhouse Sales, general merchants at Valley City. Then he clerked in the store of O. Paulson for three years and then worked in the county treasurer's office for three years. He was a Sergeant in John D. Black's Company "F" 2nd Regiment, Dakota National Guard of the Territory of Dakota.
He was again engaged in mercantile business until the fall of 1891 when he went to Fingal with a $3000 stock of goods which he displayed in a tent until his building was completed. In 1898 he purchased the stock of goods of H. J. Peterson and admitted Mr. Charles Pollock to a partnership. He was the first postmaster in Fingal.
Mr. Thorkelson married Bertha C. Olson, whose parents, Christian and Ambjor Olson, homesteaded at West Prairie, south of Valley City. Mr. Thorkelson returned to Valley City in 1908 where he was a partner of the insurance firm of Thorkelson & Peake. He died in 1912. Eight children were born to this marriage. Birdie (Mrs. G. Cuyler Anderson); they had two children, Rachael and James who was Editor of the Sacramento Union. Birdie died February 5, 1967 and was preceded in death by her husband. Harold born at Maddock, North Dakota. He married and moved to Bremerton, Washington. They had one son. Harold died in 1946.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 249