- KITTIL C. ROSTAD, known as one of the substantial citizens
of Orfordville, Rock county, Wis.,
- is a native of Winnebago county, Illinois, and was born August
30, 1844, to Christopher and Kjersti (EVIO) ROSTAD. The parents
emigrated from Norway, their native land, in 1839, in company
with others who accompanied Austen NATESTA and Ole K. NATESTA,
who founded the first Norwegian colony in Wisconsin. They first
settled in Chicago, where they lived about a year and married,
and whence they moved to Howard, Winnebago county, Ill., and
settled on a tract of land which the father bought from the Unites
States government. Thence they removed to Newark township, in
Rock county, where the father bought a farm near the Lutheran
church and there passed the remainder of their lives. He also
owned a large sorghum mill which he operated many years. He
died at the age of sixty-eight years and the death of his widow
occurred some five years later, and they are both interred in
the Orfordville cemetery.
- Kittil C. passed his boyhood on the home farm in Winnebago
county, Illinois, and there received
- his education in the district schools, living at home until
he attained his majority. On leaving home he went to Minnesota,
and for six years engaged in farm work there and also located
a homestead in Douglas county. He afterwards sold his interests
there and returning to Rock county, settled on the old homestead
and there carried on farming until 1902 with good success. Mr.
ROSTAD now being in position to retire from active work, he removed
to Orfordville, where he purchased a beautiful and spacious residence
and has since made his home. Though in a measure living in retirement,
Mr. ROSTAD finds it necessary to have some occupation to engage
his attention, and since his removal to Orfordville, has served
continuously as village clerk and for three years last past has
been justice of the peace. He is an honored member of the Norwegian
Lutheran Church at Orfordville, and also its secretary.
- In 1870 Mr. ROSTAD married Miss Jennie V. LAUGEN, who came
from Norway, her native
- land, when she was eighteen years of age. Of nine children
born to them, the first, Karl, born in Douglas county, Minnesota,
died in early infancy; the second, also named Karl, was born
in Douglas county, Minnesota, and is now a carpenter and builder
at Orfordville; John, also born in Douglas county, is a carpenter
by trade and lives at home; Anna is married to Mr. Ever OLSON,
owns a farm in Stephenson county, Illinois, but lives at present
in Beloit, Wis. They have two children - Clement and Edward;
Norman, the fifth child, is engaged in business at Orfordville.
He married Miss Amanda HANSON; Willie lives with his parents;
Samuel is a bookkeeper and lives in St. Louis, while Kistern
and Lauren live at home.
- Mr. ROSTAD is well known throughout the community as a man
of upright character and
- universally esteemed for his manly qualities, and in his
beautiful home and interesting family and many friends, richly
enjoys the well earned fruits of his busy and useful life.
-
- Taken from "Rock County, Wis." by William Fiske
Brown, (c)1908, pp. 1011-1012.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|