Jens Thomas Thorsen, known as Tom Thorsen, was born October 19, 1892 in Christiania, Norway (now Oslo) to Thor and Jeanette Olson. His name of Jens Thomas Olsen was changed TO Jens Thomas Thorsen at about 15 years of age. This was Tom's choice as he could have left it as it was.
He finished the required schooling at 15, and then entered the Norwegian navy for training. When he got out of the navy, he went to work at a factory that made boxes. The money to be made working in Norway was not very much and his best friend, Sigurd Kritiansen, was in America making much more money.
With Sig's help Tom was able to come to America. He arrived in New York City in April of 1912 where he boarded a train that took him through Canada and to Cooperstown, North Dakota. Sigrud met him and helped him get settled.
The next four years Tom worked on farms for farmers around the area. He then sharecropped for two years.
World War I began and Tom entered the United States Infantry and was sent to France, where he saw action and received a sharpshooters medal and the Purple Heart.
He returned to Cooperstown in early 1919 and worked in the power plant. He had to go to Minneapolis for treatment in the Veteran's hospital for his war injuries.
In 1920 Tom married Minnie Johnson who was born in Spring Valley, Wisconsin and moved to Williston, North Dakota.
After being released from the Veterans Hospital, Tom returned to Cooperstown to work and live. Minnie and Tom ran the Baldwin Hotel in Cooperstown for a time.
In 1923 they headed back to Minneapolis, where Tom worked on construction jobs, as a salesman, janitor, installing oil burners, etc. He spent most of his working years at Northern States Power Company, and retired from there in 1957 as a Watchman Engineer.
Minnie and Tom had seven children, three sons, Richard, Floyd and Thomas Jr. all of the Twin Cities area. Their four daughters were Mrs. Lyle (Thelma) McClish, Mrs. John (Carvel) Beres, Mrs. Dennis (Dorothy) Ecklund, all of Minneapolis, and Mrs. Edward (Dolores) Norum, of Nebraska.
Minnie was born 4/23/91 and passed away 4/10/66 at 74 years, 11 months and 17 days. Tom was born 10/19/ 92 and passed away 3/19/73 at 80 years and 5 months.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 278