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Rock County, Wisconsin

Biographies

"Knud B. Duxstad"

KNUD B. DUXSTAD. Coming with his parents to Rock County in 1844, when a young man
of nineteen, the subject of this sketch has devoted to the development of Wisconsin the strength of more than half a century, and has long been ranked as one of the foremost citizens of Clinton. As owner of valuable business property in the city of Chicago, Ill., as director and vice-president of the Citizens Bank of Clinton, as proprietor of the well-improved DUXSTAD homestead of 205 acres in Section 32, Clinton township, he has attained a prominent position in the material affairs of Rock County, and is no less influential in religious, social, educational and political circles.
Brynild KNUDSON, his father, was born in Norway Jan. 8, 1794, the eldest of the five children
of Knud ERICKSON and Brita (KNUDSON) DUXSTAD, the other children being Martha, Eric, Carrie and Anguna. Brynild took up the life of a farmer. On June 10, 1824, he married Ellie Knudson SEIME, daughter of Knud SEIME, also a Norwegian farmer, and by this marriage had seven children, two of whom died in infancy. The others were Knud, Iver, Brita, Knud B. and Carrie. With his wife and children Brynild KNUDSON in 1844 emigrated to America, and settled in Rock County, Wis., where he acquired property, and lived an industrious and prosperous life until death called him, Aug. 7, 1857. He was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church, and a good, substantial citizen in the pioneer country.
Knud B. DUXSTAD, our subject, was born in Norway Feb. 2, 1825, and came with his parents
to America in 1844, arriving at Clinton Aug. 17 of that year. The cultivation of the soil became his life work, but his foresight and business judgment gave him prominence among his fellow men, and he soon became recognized as a citizen of sterling and commanding principles. He owns 260 acres land in Section 33, Clinton township, 200 acres in Boone County, Ill., and the building at Nos. 59-61 East Kinzie street, Chicago. He is director of the T. G. Mandt Vehicle Co., Stoughton, Wis. Mr. DUXSTAD married Nov. 24, 1863, Miss Ingeborg Sjursdatter QVARME, born in Norway Aug. 30, 1838, daughter of Seaver and Carrie K. (DUXSTAD) KNUDSON, the former a Norwegian farmer who in 1844 emigrated with his family to America, coming in the same ship which brought over the DUXSTADs. Seaver KNUDSON settled in Boone County, Ill., where he died in 1882, aged eighty-two years; his wife survived him seven years. To our subject and wife have been born seven children, Oscar B., Elias S., Carrie A., Annie C., Mattie B., Emma J. and Ida L. Mattie is deceased. Elias married Nov. 26, 1898, Miss Minnie FESSENDEN, and they have one son, Earl Maynard, born May 27, 1900.
Mr. DUXSTAD is a prominent member of the Lutheran Church, and has been organist in the
church for many years. In politics he is a Republican. For sixteen years he has been on the board of supervisors, of which he was chairman (two years), also served as town assessor three years, and two years officiated as justice of the peace. He is one of the hardy pioneers of Wisconsin, a typical specimen of the courageous and thrifty race that settled its distant shores, and gave to the state a high grade of citizenship. He has by his systematic course of righteous and industrious living won the highest respect of the people of Rock County, and ranks as one of its prominent and influential business men.
 
Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin" (c) 1901, pp. 414-415.
 
Courtesy of Carol

This page last updated August 3, 2002
 
©2002 WIBiographies-Rock County
 
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