Biography of Edwin W. Everson
Olive Gilbertson (granddaughter)
Edwin W. Everson was born April 29, 1857, at Toten, Norway. He left Norway at the age of nine years and came to Wisconsin with his father, Andrew Everson, leaving his mother, Johannah Everson, four brothers, and four sisters in Norway. They arrived here one year later. In April, 1880, he left Wisconsin and came to North Dakota. His reason for coming to North Dakota, was to get free land and also grow up with the country. His first claim was the west half of section 20, range 59, township 144, which is now Greenfield township, Griggs County.
The first house he built and lived in in North Dakota was part sod and part lumber. The nearest town was Valley City. The most common way of getting there was by foot. His nearest neighbor was Abraham Gunderson. The first teams he had on the farm were oxen but later he got horses. His first machinery were broad cast seeder, scotch harrow, champion harvester, etc. His first crops were oats, and wheat. Wheat was the Scotch Fife which yielded twenty bushels to the acre. Oats yielded thirty bushels to the acre. In order to get seed he went to farmers around Valley City that had raised grains before. Usually he went with a team.
He had many hardships and experiences with Indians, prairie fires, and hard blizzards, none of which were very dangerous.
He was married to Betsey Mossing, October 6th, 1885, at River Falls, Wisconsin.
In November, 1912, he was elected representative, reelected in 1914 and 1916, serving in the years of 1913, 1915, and 1917. He organized the I. V. A. in 1918 and was elected president of the I. V. A. serving until 1922, then resigning. During these years he put in all his time on the firing line, therefore rented out his farm, retiring from farming he moved to Walum in 1920. He has been in the store business now four years. His present home is at Walum. His descendants are Mrs. Clara Gilbertson, Edwin Everson, Walum, North Dakota, Mrs. Julia E. Danielson 547 E. Ave. 39, Los Angeles, California, Mrs. Mable Jensen, 3635 Vermont Street, Long Beach, California, Mrs. Myrtle Iverson, Helen Everson, Box 284, Kalispell, Montana, Mrs. Adeline Turnpaw, 207½ Taylor Ave., Seattle, Washington. Deceased is Axel Everson, 1923, Benton Everson.
Grandchildren, Olive Gilbertson, Everett Gilbertson, Donald Gilbertson, Violet Gilbertson, Roy Gilbertson, John Everson, Thelma Everson, Virginia Everson, Marion Everson, Robert Everson, Walum, North Dakota, Elwood Jensen, Gerald Jensen, 3634 Vermont St., Long Beach, California, Ellsworth Iverson, Box 284, Kalispell, Montana, Lillian Turnpaw, 207½ Taylor Ave., Seattle, Washington. Deceased, Arlene Jensen, 1923.